*************************************************
The Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, today (September 7) started his visit to the Mainland by meeting officials from the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Public Security.
This morning, Mr Lee went to the Rescue and Salvage Bureau of the Ministry of Transport and met the Vice-Minister of Transport, Mr Xu Zuyuan, and Director General of the ministry's Rescue and Salvage Bureau Captain Song Jiahui.
Both sides reviewed the co-operation and exchanges between Hong Kong and the Mainland in regard to search and rescues.
They were pleased to see that the Rescue and Salvage Bureau had developed close ties with Hong Kong's search and rescue agencies such as the Government Flying Service, the Fire Services Department, the Civil Aviation Department and the Marine Department.
They both agreed that there were a lot of opportunities for strengthening their mutual co-operation to protect the safety of people in the event of accidents and natural mishaps.
Mr Lee later met the Vice-Minister of Public Security, Mr Chen Zhimin. They discussed matters of common interest and exchanged views on law and order issues in the two places.
Mr Lee will continue his visit in Beijing in the next two days before flying to Qingdao on Thursday (September 10). He will fly to Guangzhou on Friday (September 11) and meet public security officials of Guangdong before returning to Hong Kong on Saturday (September 12).
Ends/Monday, September 7, 2009
Issued at HKT 19:19
NNNN