Tag Archives: China

     Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the 2024 International Chinese New Year Night Parade tonight (February 10):
 
(Cantonese)
 
��嘉賓���市民：
 
　　今日是�年大年�一，我在此先和大家拜年。�喜發財��喜發財�Kung Hei Fat Choy!
 
     ä»Šæ™šæˆ‘很高興和全香港市民和é�Šå®¢ï¼Œä¸€èµ·æ­¡åº¦æ–°æ˜¥ï¼Œå�ƒèˆ‡ç”±é¦™æ¸¯æ—…é�Šç™¼å±•å±€èˆ‰è¾¦çš„「新春國際匯演之夜ã€�。這項香港的招牌盛事，上次舉辦已經是五年å‰�了，五年後的今晚，å†�一次在香港的舞å�°éš†é‡�登場，我和大家一樣期待和興奮ï¼�
 
　　今年匯演主題是「�騰香港賀新歲�，象徵香港祥�騰飛，氣勢如虹。花車巡�加上近30支來自香港�內地和世界�地的表演團隊，會為大家�上一個精彩絕倫的國際匯演，展示香港中西文化匯�的多元特色，更展�香港高度國際化的�凡魅力。
 
　　�祥�添瑞，如��添喜�我�香港新一年百業興旺�生�興「��，����年大�大利��騰虎���精虎猛�
 
(Putonghua)
　
　　��朋����旅客，大家新年好�我代表香港特�政府，歡迎��內地和世界�地的旅客，專程來到香港來�春節。�大家�年�祥如��幸�美滿�
 
　　今晚的花車匯演有香港特色，更有世界�地的風情，將會給大家帶來暖暖的春節喜慶氣氛，大家�以盡情享�和體會香港活力動感�精彩無比的�凡魅力。
 
　　香港是閃耀奪目的�方之�，日夜都繽紛洋溢。明天年�二晚上，新春煙花匯演將閃耀維港的夜空，精彩紛呈，大家��錯�。我歡迎��旅客在香港多留幾天，香港有好�的�有好看的�有好玩的，大家�以在大街�巷City Walk，��以在網紅熱點「打���嘗嘗港�奶茶��蘿油，肯定�以滿載而歸�
 
     To our friends and visitors from around the world, Happy Chinese New Year! Welcome to Hong Kong’s International Chinese New Year Night Parade.
 
     I am thrilled to be here, with you, for one of the most spectacular, most anticipated, Chinese New Year celebrations in the world. 
 
     We’re all here to welcome the Year of the “Loong”. In Chinese culture, the “loong” – people usually call it the dragon – symbolises nobility, good fortune and vitality. It’s going to be a year of auspicious opportunities, and dragon-sized blessings for us all!
 
     And there’s no better way to celebrate this first day of the year than with Hong Kong’s world party, a night parade filled with fantastic floats, alongside more international performing groups and stars than this sparkling extravaganza has ever seen before.
 
     And as dazzling, as unforgettable, as this evening promises, it’s only the beginning! 
 
     Tomorrow night, it’s the annual Lunar New Year fireworks spectacular, lighting up our Victoria Harbour. And Hong Kong’s vibrant, East-meets-West culture, will keep you dragon-dancing, day and night.
 
     Ladies and gentlemen, enjoy the parade and the parties. Enjoy it all. Only in Hong Kong. 
 
     Thank you, and have a great Year of the “Loong”, of the Dragon!

        

     The 2024 Lunar New Year (LNY) fairs concluded successfully at 7am today (February 10). The fairs were held at 15 locations for seven days from February 4, attracting about two million visitors. Yesterday (February 9) was the peak, with more than 200 000 visitors in the LNY Fair at Victoria Park on a single day.

     A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said that, with the society returned to normalcy in full, the department is pleased to resume the provision of dry goods and fast food stalls in the LNY fairs this year, and would like to thank the stall vendors for co-operating with the management measures to keep the fair sites clean and in a safe and orderly manner. The department is even more pleased to see members of the public actively support and enjoy the fairs which operation has been smooth in general with normal power supply.

     This year, the FEHD has applied innovation and technology measures to monitor the venues for implementation of crowd control when necessary. The footfall of individual LNY fairs was displayed on the FEHD website with a view to enabling the public to know about the crowds at the fair early. The FEHD has also offered assistance to stall vendors in various aspects such as security, illumination and refuse collection to ensure the smooth running of the LNY fairs.

     The department adopted various waste reduction and recycling measures. Apart from collecting general recyclables including waste paper, plastics and metals in the fairs, the department also arranged for contractors to collect bamboo sticks, wooden pallets, polyfoam and wilted or unsold flowers with reusable value. From opening of the LNY fair sites up to the site clearance operation today, about 110 tonnes of materials with reusable value were collected in the 15 LNY fair sites in order to enhance recycling of resources. Furthermore, food waste recycling is practised in the LNY fairs with fast food stalls.

     Moreover, the FEHD also gathered some 1 726 unsold pots of flowers and plants donated by vendors in the fairs. They were delivered to 223 elderly homes/residential care homes for persons with disabilities and two public hospitals by 23 volunteer teams made up of FEHD staff.

     With the LNY fairs concluded successfully, the department deployed 228 staff members and 50 refuse collection vehicles and street washing vehicles to clean up the Victoria Park venue. The other 14 LNY fair sites were cleaned up by the department’s cleansing contractors. All site clearance work was completed at about 7pm. After thorough cleaning, the venues were restored to their original state.

     Despite the conclusion of LNY fairs, the Che Kung Festival Fair and the Fong Ma Po New Year Fair at Lam Tsuen in Tai Po will be held until February 24. The spokesman reminded members of the public planning to visit the two fairs that they may browse information including the opening hours and visitor flow of the fairs at the FEHD’s webpage in advance.

      

     In view of the cold weather, the Home Affairs Department has opened 18 temporary cold shelters in various districts today (February 10) for people in need of the service. The temporary shelters will remain open when the Cold Weather Warning is in force.

     Clean mattresses and blankets/quilts, hot meals and hot water will be provided to shelter users free of charge during the opening of temporary shelters.

     To ensure that cold shelter users can rest in a quiet and undisturbed environment, members of the public or agencies wishing to make donations to shelter users are requested to register with the staff of the shelter first. Donors will then be directed to place the donated items at a specified indoor location. The staff will help notify the shelter users to collect the items on their own.

     Anyone seeking temporary refuge or with any questions about the donation arrangements at the cold shelters may call the department’s hotline 2572 8427 for more information.

     The 18 temporary cold shelters are located at:

Hong Kong Island:
——————–

Central and Western:
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex,
2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun

Eastern:
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay

Southern:
Lei Tung Community Hall
Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau

Wan Chai:
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai

Kowloon:
——————

Kowloon City:
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices,
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom

Kwun Tong:
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin

Sham Shui Po:
Nam Cheong District Community Centre
1 Cheong San Lane, Sham Shui Po

Wong Tai Sin:
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan

Yau Tsim Mong:
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei

New Territories:
—————-

Islands:
Tung Chung Community Hall 
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building, 39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung

Kwai Tsing:
Tai Wo Hau Estate Community Centre
15 Tai Wo Hau Road, Kwai Chung

North:
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling

Sai Kung:
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex,
38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O

Sha Tin:
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin

Tai Po:
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
 
Tsuen Wan:
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan

Tuen Mun:
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun

Yuen Long:
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long   read more

     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, will depart for Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, tomorrow afternoon (February 11) to attend the World Governments Summit. During his stay in Dubai, he will also meet with government officials of Dubai to give them an update on Hong Kong’s latest development and business opportunities.
 
     Mr Yau will return to Hong Kong in the morning on February 14. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, will be the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development. read more

     As the Year of the Dragon unfolds, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, today (February 10), on the first day of the Lunar New Year, attended the blessing lantern lighting ceremony of the Hong Kong Well-wishing Festival 2024 to extend his New Year greetings to citizens of Hong Kong. He also paid a visit to the Shenzhen Bay Control Point to learn about its preparation and operations during the Lunar New Year holidays and express his heartfelt gratitude to colleagues who dedicatedly performed their duties.

     Mr Chan attended the blessing lantern lighting ceremony of the Hong Kong Well-wishing Festival 2024 in Lam Tsuen, Tai Po, this morning, joining citizens in wishing Hong Kong a prosperous New Year. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Chan said that this year is the Year of the Dragon, with the dragon symbolising wisdom and strength. He eagerly looks forward to the Government, jointly with all sectors of society, gathering wisdom, exerting strength, and leading Hong Kong to soar and thrive in the new journey of advancement from stability to prosperity.

     He added that the Government will continue to be wholehearted in its governance in the New Year. He wished for the collaboration of the Government, the business sector and the community in achieving four hopes, namely safeguarding national security with resolute determination, drawing diverse talent with full confidence, supporting grassroots communities with joint efforts, and enhancing district governance with people’s needs taken to heart.

     This is the first Lunar New Year holiday after the resumption of normality in Hong Kong, with the Shenzhen Bay Control Point and the Lo Wu Control Point extending their service hours on specified dates of the holidays for the first time to divert cross-boundary passenger and vehicular movements more effectively. Accompanied by the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Ms Louise Ho, and the Director of Immigration, Mr Benson Kwok, Mr Chan also visited the Shenzhen Bay Control Point this morning to inspect its operations and meet frontline staff of the Customs and Excise Department, the Immigration Department and the Hong Kong Police Force who were on duty. He learnt about the arrangements for customs clearance, public order maintenance, etc, at the control point during the Lunar New Year period. Along the way, he took the opportunity to extend his New Year greetings to the citizens and travellers he met.

     Mr Chan was pleased to note that the relevant government departments have been in close liaison with one another, as well as with stakeholders of transport, tourism and other sectors, for proper preparation and co-ordination. The various control points in Hong Kong, including the two aforesaid ones, have been generally operating in an orderly and smooth manner. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the colleagues at the control points, as well as to all other staff of the Government and practitioners from various sectors who work steadfastly during the Lunar New Year holidays.

     Mr Chan instructed all relevant departments to press ahead with the full implementation of the special boundary-crossing and relevant transport arrangements for the Lunar New Year holidays. The departments will continue to deploy manpower appropriately to ensure sufficient clearance counters and channels available at various control points for effective diversion of passenger and vehicular traffic. They will also continue to liaise closely with their Mainland counterparts. The aim is to maintain orderly customs clearance for the public and travellers. The Transport Department will continuously monitor the traffic situation in various districts, especially at control points and major stations, and maintain close communication with the MTR Corporation Limited and operators of other public transport such as franchised buses and cross-boundary coaches. It will take timely measures as the situation so warrants.

     At the same time, Mr Chan appealed to travellers visiting Hong Kong during the Lunar New Year to plan their trips in advance to avoid departure via land boundary control points in the small hours or peak hours. He encouraged them to stay overnight in Hong Kong to have a more diverse and enriching travel experience. He instructed relevant departments, in collaboration with public transport operators, to continue to disseminate in a timely manner the latest information on the traffic conditions at the control points and major stations through television, radio and online platforms, so that citizens and travellers intending to enter or leave Hong Kong can make appropriate transportation arrangements.

     The day before yesterday (February 8), Mr Chan joined the year-end caring visit in 18 districts co-ordinated by the Home Affairs Department in the Central and Western District. He visited ethnic-minority families and distributed gifts on behalf of the Government to share with them the festive joy. He also participated in the Day x Night Vibes @ 18 Districts “Yau Tsim Mong Presents – The Year Of The Dragon: Countdown Celebration” event at Yau Ma Tei Community Centre Rest Garden yesterday (February 9) to ring in the joyous Year of the Dragon with members of the public.