Hong Kong attracted more than 27,000 talented people and professionals through various schemes last year, up 57 percent from 2003, Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee said Monday.

Speaking at a special Legislative Council Finance Committee meeting, Lee said since the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme was introduced last June, the Immigration Department has received 681 applications, Lee said. Of them, 149 were allotted quota. The Government will review the scheme soon.

When talking about the spending on security and immigration control, Lee said it will rise 8.8 percent to 25.2 billion HK dollars (3.23 billion U.S. dollars) in the 2007-2008 financial year to enhance services.

He said immigration and customs services will be upgraded through the use of information technology, such as extending the Immigration Department's trial scheme on e-Channel facilities to visitors holding the Travel Pass within this year.

The Government has earmarked 565 million HK dollars (72.44 million U.S. dollars) for 1,373 disciplined services posts catering for the opening of new control points at Shenzhen Bay Port and the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line later this year.

On crime, Lee said the overall law and order situation remained stable, but Police will remain vigilant. Overall and violent crime figures rose 4.8 percent and 6.9 percent last year, but serious crimes like burglary, criminal damage, blackmail and rape cases fell.

To combat money laundering and terrorist financing, the special administrative region government will focus on the preparation for the "Mutual Evaluation" on Hong Kong to be conducted by the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering this year, and continue to engage the various sectors concerned in further enhancing Hong Kong's regime and meeting the latest international standards.

Source: Xinhua