With the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and Northeast China recently hit by severe rainstorms and floods, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) today (August 14) approved under the Disaster Relief Fund nine disaster relief applications, amounting to total grants of about $65 million, from nine organisations.   
      
     A spokesman for the HKSAR Government said, "The HKSAR Government expresses its deep sympathy to the Mainland compatriots affected by the disaster, and maintains close contact with various rescue organisations regarding the disaster situation and related relief support. The severe rainstorms and floods have resulted in serious causalities and property losses, thereby calling for urgent disaster relief work. The HKSAR Government has promptly processed the disaster relief funding applications from nine organisations under the Disaster Relief Fund in consultation with the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee, and informed the organisations concerned of the in-principle approval given for grants totalling about $65 million to offer help in terms of relief items, etc, to the Mainland compatriots affected by the disaster."
      
     A list of the organisations with the approved grants is in the Annex. The HKSAR Government will maintain close liaison with the organisations concerned to monitor the progress of their implementation of relief projects, so as to help the people affected resume a normal life as soon as possible. The organisations concerned are required to submit evaluation reports and audited accounts on the use of the grants to the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee after completing the relief projects.
      
     The spokesman said, "The grants demonstrate the close relationship between Hong Kong and Mainland people and the spirit of mutual help. The HKSAR Government hopes that the grants will provide appropriate assistance for the Mainland compatriots affected, and help the disaster-stricken areas overcome difficulties and proceed with post-disaster reconstruction."
      
     The spokesman stressed, "The HKSAR Government, together with the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee, will continue to closely monitor the disaster situation and related rescue work, and later process any applications from other organisations to help the people affected by the disaster in a timely manner."
      
     The Disaster Relief Fund was established on December 1, 1993, in accordance with the Public Finance Ordinance. It provides the Government with a mechanism to respond to appeals for humanitarian aid in relief of disasters that occur outside Hong Kong.

     The Government Chief Information Officer, Mr Tony Wong, attended the Awards Presentation Ceremony of the first Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge in Shanghai today (August 14) to show support for the Hong Kong teams and congratulate the winner of the Grand Award, Albacastor Technology Limited from the Hong Kong delegation, as well as other winning teams.
      
     Jointly organised by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, the Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge aims to facilitate the exchange of data, technology and talent, and promote the synergy of smart city development between Hong Kong and Shanghai through training and competition. The Grand Final and the Awards Presentation Ceremony were held in Shanghai on August 13 and 14 respectively. The Hong Kong delegations, comprising 10 finalist teams or individuals from various enterprises and universities in Hong Kong, excelled in the competition, with Albacastor Technology Limited winning the Grand Award, and Micro Dimension Technology Limited winning top four honours of the competition.
      
     The teams representing Hong Kong in the Grand Final are as follows:

(Ranking in no particular order)
 
     Mr Wong congratulated all winners and said, "The competition promotes the exploration of innovative applications of data in city management, business development and operation efficiency between Hong Kong and Shanghai, and facilitates the synergistic development of smart cities and digital economy. The solutions of the finalists are very creative and of a high standard. I hope that the participants can continue to exchange ideas and create more innovative applications using open data of the two places, so as to make greater contributions to promoting the co-operation between Hong Kong and Shanghai in the development of digital economy."
      
     Mr Wong has attended other Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge-related events and was one of the judges for the Grand Award. He also visited renowned local innovation companies, including SenseTime and Wanxiang Blockchain, during his stay in Shanghai to gain a deeper understanding of the industry ecosystem and the development of artificial intelligence, blockchain and data application on the Mainland, with a view to facilitating closer co-operation between the innovation and technology sectors of Hong Kong and the Mainland, and to better integrating Hong Kong into the overall development of the country.

     Mr Wong concluded his three-day visit today and returned to Hong Kong in the evening.

          

     The Government announced today (August 14) the reappointment of Mr Clement Cheung Wan-ching as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Insurance Authority (IA). The reappointment is for a term of three years, from August 15, 2023, to August 14, 2026.
 
     The appointment was approved by the Chief Executive under the Insurance Ordinance (Cap. 41) (the Ordinance).
 
     Announcing the appointment, the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, said, "During Mr Cheung's tenure, he has been committed to promoting the development of Hong Kong as an international risk management centre and has made great contributions to the work of the IA. I am confident that Mr Cheung will continue to strengthen the protection of policy holders by enhancing prudential regulation of the insurance industry; and work in collaboration with the industry to bolster competitiveness, explore new opportunities in the Mainland and international markets, and promote rapid yet stable development of the insurance sector." 
 
     Mr Cheung was first appointed as the CEO of the IA in August 2018. Under his leadership, the IA has taken up the full-range of statutory functions as insurance regulator while embarking on a number of initiatives to promote sustainable market development. He is currently a member of the Executive Committee of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors and the Chairman of the Asian Forum of Insurance Regulators.
 
     The IA is an independent insurance regulator established under the Ordinance in December 2015. It took over the responsibility of supervising insurance companies from the former Office of the Commissioner of Insurance in June 2017 and assumed direct regulation of insurance intermediaries in September 2019.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, August 14, 2023 is 105.4 (up 0.2 against last Saturday's index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, August 12, 2023 was 105.2 (up 0.1 against last Friday's index).

     At the Leisure and Culture Services Department (LCSD)'s invitation, over 100 members of the China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater will visit Hong Kong and stage the troupe's original contemporary dance drama "Tide of Era" at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in September, to celebrate the advent of the Mid-Autumn Festival. The production portrays the struggles and touching stories of ordinary folks amid epochal changes, and presents the development of 40 years of reform and opening up of the country through innovative dance interpretation. Tickets will be available from tomorrow (August 15).
 
     The "Tide of Era", with National Class One director Tong Ruirui as the chief director, brings together a group of talented dance drama performers and has been well received since its premiere in 2021. As a realism-themed dance drama, the "Tide of Era" breaks usual patterns and applies the innovative concepts of modern dance to make new attempts in dance vocabulary and stage presentation. The unique choreography of dance segments with tidal wave-like group dances in different but progressive rhythms projects the tremendous power of the tides of times. Dancers in solo and pas de deux use their body movements to portray vivid characters and delicate emotions, and deliver the theme song about times of change in dance idioms. Meanwhile, the stage design features geometric shapes formed by lines and surfaces as the major means of visual expression. The skilled use of multimedia and lighting created a multi-layered and dynamic visual space, presenting a contemporary, tech-savvy and futuristic sense of the dance drama.
 
     The state-level China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater is a long-standing and large-scale arts troupe engaged in the composition and staging of national opera and dance dramas. Since its founding in 1951, the troupe has adhered to its mission of preservation and innovation, and created and staged over a hundred operas and dance dramas. The arts troupe has been invited for touring performances all over the world, and has won plaudits from audiences from all walks of life for its legendary works, sophisticated performance and top-notch artistic personnel.
 
     City under the Moon: Dance Drama "Tide of Era" by the China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater is presented by the LCSD. This is also a programme of the "Chinese Performing Arts Hong Kong Season" Series, with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as the advisory units. It will be held at 7.30pm on September 23 and 2.30pm on September 24 at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets priced at $180, $240, $300 and $380 will be available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk) from tomorrow (August 15) onwards. For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7323 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/dance/programs_1572.html.