Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki returned to Hong Kong today after attending meetings of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Switzerland and meeting representatives of several international and local organisations during his visit to the country.

The working group met on January 23 to examine China’s fourth report, which was submitted under the UNHRC Universal Periodic Review mechanism and includes a part concerning the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The review report was adopted on January 26.

Mr Chan attended the working group meetings as Deputy Head of China’s delegation. He responded in the meetings to comments and suggestions about the Hong Kong SAR’s human rights situation, and refuted unfounded and untrue remarks from a small number of countries during the review.

The review report will be presented to a plenary session of the UNHRC in due course. Mr Chan said the Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to join the motherland in undertaking work under the review mechanism, and tell the international community good stories about the Hong Kong SAR’s human rights situation in a reasoned and robust manner.

In addition to attending meetings of the working group, Mr Chan also called on representatives of several international and local organisations whilst in Switzerland to foster mutual understanding and keep them abreast of developments in Hong Kong.

On January 25, Mr Chan visited the International Social Security Association to meet its Secretary General Marcelo, Abi-Ramia Caetano. They exchanged views on topics including how to establish a sustainable social security system, and how to tackle the challenges brought about by an ageing population.

Mr Chan highlighted that besides enhancing the prevailing non-contributory social security system to provide suitable cash assistance to people with a variety of needs, the Hong Kong SAR Government has recently been implementing a strategy of targeted poverty alleviation to further direct resources to the grassroots groups most in need.

He then visited the International Labour Organization to meet its Director-General, Gilbert F Houngbo, and briefed him on Hong Kong’s labour market and social situation.

Mr Chan said that the Hong Kong SAR Government is committed to safeguarding workers’ rights and benefits and promoting harmonious employer-employee relations. He stressed that imported workers enjoy the same protections as local workers do under Hong Kong’s labour laws. He added that the Hong Kong SAR Government has introduced various measures to improve workers’ rights and benefits in recent years.

Next, Mr Chan visited the World Health Organization (WHO) to meet its Assistant Director-General, External Relations & Governance, Catharina Boehme. They discussed collaboration and exchanges between the Hong Kong SAR Government and the WHO on public health-related issues, including co-operation in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

On January 24, Mr Chan visited the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) and briefed Director of the IMD World Competitiveness Center Prof Arturo Bris on the latest situation in Hong Kong. He highlighted the city’s resumption of full normality following the pandemic and various new policy initiatives which have been introduced, such as those attracting enterprises and talent from around the world to Hong Kong to enhance the city’s international competitiveness.

On January 23, Mr Chan met the vice president of the Swiss-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Romandie Chapter, Vincent Subilia, to learn about the chamber’s work on promoting exchanges and co-operation in business and trade between Switzerland and China.

Mr Chan also spoke to Mr Subilia about Hong Kong’s latest social and economic developments, as well as the Hong Kong SAR Government's initiatives to attract enterprises, investment and talent to the city and develop a mega-event economy.

He invited the Swiss business sector to leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages and professional services to further tap into the Mainland market.