運輸及物流局局長出席香港貨品編碼協會高峰會2025致辭
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
Roy（香港貨品編碼協會董事局主席伍俊達）、周部長（中央人民政府駐香港特別行政區聯絡辦公室經濟部副部長兼貿易處負責人周強）、Frankie（立法會議員易志明）、Peter（立法會議員邵家輝）、Anna（香港貨品編碼協會總裁林潔貽）、各位嘉賓、各位朋友：
Good morning. While the weather is a bit cold, once I stepped into this room, I could feel the warmth and vibrancy from the participants today. I look forward to a very energetic and dynamic gathering and discussion later this morning. It really gives me great pleasure to join you today for this year's GS1 Hong Kong Summit. May I also extend my warm welcome to our visitors from around the globe: welcome to Hong Kong.
I think you will all agree that the past year was a tumultuous one when it comes to trade and logistics. Trade and logistics are two very important subjects dear to my bureau as the name is Transport and Logistics Bureau. Anna always tells me that the GS1 Summit is not about logistics, it is about an even higher and more strategic topic, it is about global standard-setting, and the Summit has a very important DNA and element that cut across different trades. From the so-called reciprocal tariffs to the tug and pull in Sino-American relations, global trade is now sailing in increasingly choppy waters. US (United States) tariff rates are impossible to keep track of, especially for this part of the world, and what seems like a truce in the trade war between the US and our country can evaporate through just a news thread on social media. You can see how dynamic and how unpredictable it is.
Adding to this complexity is the new regulatory environment we find ourselves in, as Chairman Roy has just mentioned. The evolvement of environment, social and governance, or ESG in short, is exciting, as businesses take steps to protect our Mother Earth and assume more social responsibilities in their business practices to make our world greener, more sustainable and equitable. From this year onwards, the European Union has taken the lead in making reporting scope 3 emissions mandatory for large companies in the Union, which have great implications for their business partners in Hong Kong as well. However, we need to be honest that putting ESG into practice is not without challenges, not least in terms of cost. The current global economic climate makes it even more testing, especially for SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises).
On a more optimistic score, technologies are changing the world beyond our wild imagination and are certainly making trade and logistics more efficient than ever before. AI algorithms now power online retail and trading platforms, as well as logistics data systems that help to weave the previously fragmented world of trade together. Cryptocurrency, once an outcast of traditional business, is gradually making its presence felt in the form of regulated stablecoin. Automation and robotics gradually take shapes, they are all staples in many warehouses, which often operate without lights. Do you know why? Because they operate without human beings and are not staffed by them but robotics. All these developments translate into new opportunities for our logistics trade that are up for grabs if you invest and up your game.
Of course, from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government's point of view, apart from AI, automation, robotics, my bureau is also championing a new venture area of low-altitude economy. I have recently had some discussions with participants and stakeholders in the industry. While we have also been mindful of the concerns and sentiments of the trade, especially SMEs, on this new innovative area, I am also encouraged by the optimism, dedication and the forward-looking visionary strategic mindset demonstrated by a number of industry leaders. We should actually push forward innovative ideas like low-altitude economy, which can help our logistics trade to crossover with other areas, and that could also open up new market potentials for our industry and sectors.
Against this backdrop, the discussion at GS1 Hong Kong Summit today cannot be timelier. Indeed, to be able to do what the theme of the Summit today suggests: sustainability, transformation, AI and resilience, which are nicely acronymised as "STAR", will make you a star in this brave, new world. And we in the HKSAR Government have been one step ahead in facilitating such STAR development and transformation through various measures that we have committed to delivering in the Action Plan on Modern Logistics Development promulgated two years ago.
Sustainability
In terms of S - Sustainability, we published the Roadmap for ESG Development for Logistics Industry in June this year, providing an easy-to-follow guideline for logistics SMEs to take their steps forward to build up their capabilities to collect and report ESG data, thereby meeting the prevailing international ESG requirements and guidelines. The Roadmap is backed up by financial support from the Government for the logistics trade in the form of funding schemes to encourage practitioners for attending relevant trainings or acquiring ESG solutions. I do encourage some of the industry leaders today to share your ESG solutions amongst the trade so as to promote the awareness within the trade. We also launched a one-stop platform, which is an online portal called ESG resource centre, where logistics companies can obtain up-to-date information on the relevant regulations, governmental support and in particular, international news and practices related to ESG. I do hope that with our soon-to-be-released easy-to-use ESG data collection toolkit, we can see more SMEs joining us on this pathway towards an ESG development strategy.
Transformation and AI
On transformation and AI, I think we cannot avoid this subject in every of our seminars and discussion forums nowadays. The Government is also spearheading the adoption of AI in logistics through the Port Community System (PCS) in which Chairman Roy just mentioned, thank you very much for highlighting this. This is actually one of our signature projects to be launched very soon. With this data platform that is built on cutting-edge technologies as AI, blockchain and cloud computing, the PCS will offer a round-the-clock, real-time cargo tracking service to the port and logistics industry. Not to mention the basics in data collection and technology, two things impressed me most. In our journey towards the formulation of this Port Community System, I can see how our industry sectors are united in pushing the Government and guiding us through in order to make this happen. I already see different entities and cities in our neighbouring provinces like the GBA (Greater Bay Area) waving their hands to us, noting this PCS is going to launch. They are all very active, prepared and eager to join us in order to share data and to see how the customs clearance on both sides can be further streamlined to help our SMEs and other enterprises to make our logistics and trade operation even more efficient. Another point to be mentioned is our collaboration and crossover with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority under the Project Cargoˣ. This is one of the encouraging areas in which we can also earn the support of our established banks in Hong Kong so as to help our SMEs on trade finance as well.
Resilience
Resilience is the number one keyword for us now in order to face different challenges. Building resilience has always been a key development direction that we advocate for the logistics industry. With the uncertain geopolitical landscape and the rapid transformation of trade pattern, market diversification and stepping up collaboration with the Chinese Mainland have become ever more popular and important.
我們與周強部長雙方合作，提供一個平台讓香港和內地的企業可以合作，簽訂一些協議，範疇包括推動綠色港口及綠色船用燃料加注。我有信心這個平台可以讓我們在物流和其他貿易範疇扮演示範作用，亦可幫助企業加深兩方面的合作，促進共同發展。
In this connection, my bureau has also been leading Hong Kong's logistics enterprises to cope with the challenges brought by the new trade landscape by exploring emerging markets and new market opportunities. In particular, we have been conducting promotional visits to ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), the Middle East and Belt and Road countries. We also have been extending our cargo hinterland in the Mainland through establishing a "rail-sea-land-river",「鐵海陸江」立體多式聯運系統. With Anna, Frankie and a number of friends here today, we have made excursions to different parts of Chinese Mainland hinterland, including Chengdu, Chongqing and Guangxi. All these are very strategic and important growing cities in which we can establish our footing there and provide our robust and extensive air and sea cargo destinations network to serve the hinterland. Looking ahead, we will also be introducing a very important piece of legislative amendment early next year, that is to provide exemption for import and export license requirements for certain transshipment cargos to make Hong Kong even more attractive as a transshipment hub.
Concluding remarks
Ladies and gentlemen, Hong Kong's road to prosperity was marked with ups and downs, but our resilience put us among the very best in the world in terms of logistics. I am totally confident that with this in our arsenal, we will emerge from the current storm stronger than ever before. What is equally crucial is that the Government and the industry will stand in solidarity to counter adversity. On this note, I thank GS1 Hong Kong for organising this summit, through which I am sure you will all have valuable takeaways on how to integrate STAR into your business and seize new opportunities. Last but not least, let us have "when the going gets tough, the tough get going" as our motto and build Hong Kong into an international logistics hub stronger than ever before.
Lastly, I would like to use a few minutes from the Summit, if the Chairman permits, to make a strong appeal to you, which is common and important to every citizen of Hong Kong here. A strong and collaborative relationship between the Administration and Legislature is essential for Hong Kong's continued prosperity and stability. Ladies and gentlemen, I urge all of you, Hong Kong citizens here, to fulfil your civic duty on the election day of December 7 by casting your sacred vote for the future development of Hong Kong.
各位，「行政立法同心治港、共築改善自身的局面」是全港市民的共同願景，亦是特區未來持續發展和經濟繁榮的一個重要基石。接下來，我很希望各位香港市民能積極投入選舉，共創未來，在十二月七日投下你們神聖的一票，為我們選出賢能，繼續在行政、立法兩方面有互動良好發展，為香港經濟、物流持續推進有關發展。多謝大家。
完
2025年10月28日（星期二）
香港時間12時52分
香港時間12時52分