The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Anti-drug Summit, jointly organised by the Security Bureau's Narcotics Division and the Action Committee Against Narcotics, was held in Hong Kong today, marking the first anti-drug summit hosted by Hong Kong with the Greater Bay Area as the focus.
 
The summit brought together representatives from about 40 government agencies and community anti-drug organisations in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) to share insights on three major anti-drug topics.
 
Representatives from Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau also joined the meeting upon invitation and shared their anti-drug experiences with attendees. Around 300 participants from the GBA and overseas attended the discussion.
 
Delivering his opening remarks, Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki said that the summit marks a significant milestone in Hong Kong's anti-drug history. It holds particular significance as it is the first anti-drug summit connecting Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau since the release of the Outline Development Plan for the bay area.
 
Executive Secretary-General of National Narcotics Control Commission & Director General of Narcotics Control Bureau, Ministry of Public Security Wei Xiaojun; Deputy Director of the Guangdong Provincial Narcotics Control Commission & Deputy Director-General of the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department Liang Ruiguo; Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung; and Commissioner-General of the Unitary Police Service, Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region Leong Man-cheong delivered their keynote speeches during the event’s morning session.
 
Mr Wei said that currently, the global drug trend has undergone complex and significant changes. As regards the GBA, it is where drug imports are destined and where drugs are transhipped. It is where transnational cross-boundary drug trafficking activities are plotted and where they are organised and carried out. Drug crimes have been escalating in different forms.
 
Apart from stressing that the National Narcotics Control Commission attaches great importance to the situation of anti-drug work in Hong Kong and Macau, he added that the commission will also fully support the deepening of anti-drug co-operation between the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macau.
 
Mr Liang said that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao regions enjoy close geographical ties, share the same cultural roots and are interdependent. Building a drug-free GBA together is a shared responsibility and a mission that must be shouldered.
 
He has made proposals in three aspects: firstly, to continuously deepen co-operation in law enforcement against drug crimes; secondly, to continuously enhance joint handling of drug problems; and thirdly, to continuously deepen anti-drug exchanges.
 
Mr Tang pointed out that it has been 10 years since the GBA was formally incorporated into national policies. At this significant juncture, it is timely to review past anti-drug efforts and look ahead to the future. Over six decades of combatting drugs, Hong Kong has progressively established a comprehensive anti-drug protection net comprising legislation and law enforcement, prevention and education, treatment and rehabilitation, and international co-operation.
 
Looking forward, he said that it must remain highly vigilant in the face of the complex and evolving drug situation and advance future anti-drug co-operation within the bay area.
 
During a panel forum titled "Youth Collaboration for a Drug-free Greater Bay Area", youth representatives from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau shared their experiences in anti-drug work and their perspectives on drug problems.