**********************************************************
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (September 23) met the visiting Vice-Governor of the People's Government of Guangdong Province and Director of the Guangdong Provincial Maritime Search and Rescue Centre, Mr Liu Zhigeng. The meeting was joined by Mr John Lee, Acting Secretary for Security and representatives of the Government Flying Service (GFS).
During the meeting, Mr Liu expressed appreciation and gratitude for the long range rescue provided by the GFS of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, in particular for two maritime rescue operations on July 21 this year in which the GFS rescued 20 Chinese crew members from two vessels.
Mrs Lam commended the GFS for its work. She said, "Sea rescue work is a matter of life and death in which every second counts. Close co-ordination and communication among the Guangdong and Hong Kong rescue units, including the Guangdong Provincial Maritime Search and Rescue Center, the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre of the Hong Kong Marine Department and the GFS, is essential for a swift response to maritime accidents and for saving the precious lives of the people who are at risk."
Both sides said that they looked forward to further enhancing co-operation among the various rescue units based on the existing foundations.
Ends/Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Issued at HKT 15:58
NNNN