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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Secretary for Administration and the Chairman of the Steering Committee on Population Policy, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session after attending the public forum on population policy this afternoon (November 16):
Reporter: Mrs Lam, could you tell us the importance of the One-way Permit and why is the Government not intending to revise the quota?
Chief Secretary for Administration and Chairman of the Steering Committee on Population Policy: We have stressed time and again the One-way Permit System is to facilitate family reunion. And this is also demonstrated by the statistics. Since 1997, we have received about 780 000 new arrivals under the One-way Permit System and over 98 per cent are really for family reunion either with their spouses or with their parents. So this is an important humanitarian reason and that's why I feel that it is very important for us to adhere to the One-way Permit System. Of course, in light of the population challenge that we are now facing, which means that by 2018, we will be seeing a reduction in Hong Kong's labour force, these One-way Permit holders, the median age of whom is about 36, through proper training and re-training, they could actually reinforce our labour force and help us to face the population challenges that we are confronting. Thank you very much.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Saturday, November 16, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:49
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