Liechtenstein-based Bendura Bank AG announced today (November 9) that it has opened its Hong Kong representative office, which is also its first office in the Asia-Pacific region, as part of the group's continuous global expansion leveraging the city’s distinct edge in international finance.
      
      Bendura Bank is the fourth largest bank in Liechtenstein by after-tax profit. As of June 30, 2018, the bank was managing close to US$4 billion of assets through offering financial services to entrepreneurial families and high net-worth individuals, including asset management and investment advice, transaction banking, and security issuance and investment funds. The opening of its Hong Kong office is to facilitate business development and to work more closely with partners both in Hong Kong and the surrounding region, according to the Director and Head of Representative Office Hong Kong, Mr Philipp Forster.
      
      He said, "Hong Kong is not only a vibrant city with sophisticated infrastructure and professional business services that enable it to stay competitive in the global marketplace. It also has a prestigious reputation for being an international city that attracts talent from around the world. Together with its convenient location in the region and close proximity to the Mainland, the city enables us to take advantage of the business opportunities and potential present in the region."
     
      He added, "Our Hong Kong representative office will act as a real-time gateway between Asia and Liechtenstein, gathering closer and up-to-date information of the industry in the region. Ultimately it will help to expand our footprint in other markets in the region."
     
      Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion Dr Jimmy Chiang said, "Hong Kong as an international financial centre has a robust financial regulatory regime with a well-educated workforce and the absence of capital control. The Guangdong Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area development and the Belt and Road Initiative will only further strengthen the city's financial hub status. In this context, Hong Kong offers a perfect location from which global companies like Bendura Bank AG can thrive and expand around the globe."
      
About Bendura Bank AG
 
      Founded in 1998, Bendura Bank AG is a fully licensed bank headquartered in Liechtenstein. The company is a subsidiary (84.69 per cent) of Citychamp Watch & Jewellery Group Ltd, a Hong Kong-listed luxury goods group. Bendura Bank AG focuses on asset management and investment advice, transaction banking, and security issuance and investment funds business. Bendura Bank AG and its workforce of over 100 highly qualified and motivated employees managed assets of close to US$4 billion as of June 30, 2018. In terms of after-tax profit, the bank ranks fourth among a total of 15 banks in the financial centre of Liechtenstein. For more information, please visit www.bendura.li/en/.
      
 About Invest Hong Kong
 
      Invest Hong Kong is the department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government responsible for attracting foreign direct investment and supporting overseas and Mainland businesses to set up or expand in Hong Kong. It provides free advice and customised services for overseas and Mainland companies enrolled as its clients. For more information, please visit www.investhk.gov.hk.
      
      For an event photo, please visit  www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72157703176065524.

  

     The Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Acrobatic Troupe will perform the acrobatic drama "Loulan Dream" in December. The performance is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department as part of its "Cheers!" Series.
 
     "Loulan Dream" tells the story of the ancient kingdom of Loulan during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Loulan, located adjacent to Han and Xiongnu, was an important gateway to the eastern part of the Silk Road. In order to keep the peace on the border, the king of Loulan sent his princes Angui and Weituqi to Xiongnu and Han respectively as hostages. When Xiongnu sent Angui back to Loulan for coronation as the new king after his father had passed away, Weituqi was also on the way back home.
 
     The drama follows the history of a small ancient kingdom, focusing on aspects such as the bond between the king and his people, love and brotherhood. Along with stunning acrobatics including vat juggling, hat tricks, contortions, unicycling, aerial hoops, pas de deux acrobatics, bowl-kicking, Icarian games, plate-spinning, acrobatic duos, a water meteor and group flag dancing combined with drama, songs and more, the mystery of Loulan, an ancient kingdom on the Silk Road, is unveiled.
 
     The Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Acrobatic Troupe was established in 1951 and includes performers from the Han, Uygur, Hui, Mongolian and other ethnic groups. Over the years, the troupe has won several national awards including the Northwest Regional Awards, Corps Awards and Autonomous Region Tianshan Literary Awards after taking part in acrobatic competitions throughout the country, as well as winning four international awards. The troupe has created a number of acrobatic productions which have toured provinces and cities in China including Shanghai, Guangzhou and Wuhan. They have also performed in Russia, Japan, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany and other countries to promote the traditional ethnic cultures of China.
 
     "Loulan Dream" will be staged at the Auditorium, Yuen Long Theatre at 7.30pm on December 23; and at the Auditorium, Sha Tin Town Hall at 2.30pm and 7.30pm on December 25 and at 2.30pm on December 26. Tickets priced from $150 to $280 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk).
 
     For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7323 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/f_entertainment/programs_658.html

     A 62-year-old male person in custody at Pik Uk Prison was sent to a public hospital for treatment after being found unconscious in the institution on October 28 and was subsequently certified dead today (November 8).

     The person in custody suffered from heart disease, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. He required continuous medical care and follow-up at the institution hospital and public hospitals. At 1.23pm on October 28, he was found fainted by a correctional officer in the exercise yard. The institution hospital officer immediately provided first aid treatment to the person in custody and called for an ambulance to send him to a public hospital for treatment. Since then, he received in-patient treatment in the public hospital with the diagnosis of myocardial infarction. His condition suddenly deteriorated this morning and he was certified dead at 11.54am.

     The case has been reported to the Police. A death inquest will be held by the Coroner's Court.

     The person in custody was convicted for the offence of trafficking in a dangerous drug in December 2013.

     The open auction for stalls at the 2019 Victoria Park Lunar New Year (LNY) Fair concluded today (November 8). The total revenue was $14,508,659 compared with $12,867,072 last year.
 
      A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said that a total of 463 stalls at the Fair, including 272 for dry goods, 180 for wet goods, 8 for thematic and 3 for fast food, were let out during the four-day open auction.
 
     To round up the results of the auction for the dry goods stalls held from Tuesday (November 6) to today, the successful bids ranged from $14,230 to $80,000, which averaged out to $26,520. The highest bid of $80,000 was about 5.6 times of the opening price of $14,230. The auction of dry goods stalls fetched a total of $7,213,551, compared with $7,328,602 last year.
 
     The four auction days for the Victoria Park LNY Fair stalls attracted about 1 650 participants in total.
 
     Auctions for stalls of the four LNY fairs in Kowloon will start at 9am from next Tuesday (November 13) to next Friday (November 16) at the Assembly Hall, Lai Chi Kok Government Offices, 19 Lai Wan Road, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon while the auction for stalls of Tat Tung Road Garden LNY Fair in Tung Chung will be held this Friday (November 9) at Rooms 1413 and 1414, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central with the auction session starting at 9.30am.
 
     The spokesman reminded the successful bidders to comply with all the stipulations and provisions as set out in the licence agreement. Otherwise, the department is entitled to terminate the agreement and the licensee shall immediately vacate the stall.
 

     The Opportunities for the Elderly Project (OEP) implemented by the Social Welfare Department (SWD) has achieved remarkable results since its launch 20 years ago, with over 5 000 district programmes subsidised and more than 3.3 million participants benefiting, the Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms Chang King-yiu, said today (November 8). She said she was happy to see that elderly people were able to lead a fruitful life by unleashing their potential to contribute to society.

     Speaking at the 2018 OEP Award Presentation Ceremony, Ms Chang said that the Government attaches great importance to welfare services, adding that the estimated recurrent expenditure on social welfare in the current financial year amounts to $79.8 billion, second only to education. To cope with the ageing population, the SWD's estimated spending on elderly services has risen to around $8.9 billion, an increase of around 20 per cent when compared with the revised estimate for the previous financial year.

     Noting that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the SWD, Ms Chang said the department has adopted "60 Years We Care, In Harmony We Share" as the theme of its celebrations and will continue to work jointly with the general public and different sectors in building a caring and inclusive society.

     Also officiating at the ceremony, the Chairman of the Elderly Commission, Dr Lam Ching-choi, said that programmes under the OEP are beneficial to the physical and psychological health of elderly people. He also expressed his appreciation of the project for encouraging more elderly people to live an active life and further contribute to society.

     Today's event was organised by the SWD's Working Group on the OEP. Awards were presented to commend organisations and elderly participants for their outstanding performance in two-year projects (2016-18) and one-year projects (2017-18). The event also aimed at enhancing inter-generational harmony, promoting respect and care for elderly people and encouraging senior citizens to live a fruitful life.

     Also officiating at the ceremony were the Director of Social Welfare, Ms Carol Yip, and the Chairman of the OEP Advisory Committee, Professor Diana Lee.

     To tie in with the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the OEP and 60th anniversary of the establishment of the SWD, today's event turned into a birthday party featuring a tea reception and a variety of performances. More than 1 000 participants from various districts were invited to join the event to share the happiness of the awardees.