Tag Archives: China

     The Chief Executive’s Policy Unit (CEPU) announced today (December 29) the results of the Strategic Public Policy Research Funding Scheme (SPPRFS) 2023-24.
 
     The SPPRFS is a government-financed funding scheme dedicated to supporting evidence-based local public policy research by higher education institutions and think tanks in Hong Kong. It aims to support longer-term public policy research on strategic themes and research areas identified by the Government, build up research capacity and facilitate collaboration among institutions/think tanks. The CEPU is its Secretariat. As the Government’s internal research unit, the CEPU is set up to enhance the Government’s capabilities in research and advocacy on long-term and strategic issues. One of its tasks is to build up an external policy research capacity through measures including administering the SPPRFS. This will be conducive to the achievement of the CEPU’s objectives, including to advocate for and assist in the formulation of long-term and strategic policies from a forward-thinking perspective; to keep abreast of national development and analyse and suggest areas of significance in the integration into national development; to examine international relations and situations, and analyse opportunities and risks; and to grasp the sentiments of Hong Kong citizens to understand the general direction and focus of their concerns.

     A total of 32 applications, covering the strategic themes identified by the Government, were received under the SPPRFS 2023-24. On the advice of the Assessment Panel, the CEPU has supported two projects with total funding of about $7.2 million. One of the projects seeks to establish a policy framework for cross-regional co-operation strategies for the construction industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, while the other focuses on maximising the use of hydrogen in the transport sector in Hong Kong.
 
      Applications to the SPPRFS are invited once a year in general and assessed by the Assessment Panel which comprises scholars with ample experience. Applications must be made under the specified strategic themes and in line with the specified research areas. Research quality and the strategic relevance of the proposal to the public policy development needs of Hong Kong are the principal criteria of assessment. The Assessment Panel will also take into account comments of outside reviewers who are experienced scholars and experts during the assessment process, and suggestions and views of relevant government bureaux/departments. A declaration of interests system is in place to ensure that the assessments are fair and impartial.

     Details of the funded projects have been uploaded to the CEPU’s website (www.cepu.gov.hk/en/PRFS/sppr-granted.html). read more

      The Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will launch its latest “Movie Talk” series in January next year by screening four films produced by internationally renowned film producer Terence Chang at the HKFA Cinema. Chang was also invited to attend post-screening talks on January 20 and 21, 2024, with veteran film producers Linda Kuk and Amy Chin, as well as film experts Sam Ho and Thomas Shin to share his rich recollection of experiences and insights from his film career.

      Chang is a renowned production manager and film producer who has been active in the film industry for more than four decades. He participated in the productions of many Hong Kong and Hollywood classic films. In as early as the 1980s, he started to be involved in film distribution and opened up international markets for the films of several prominent Hong Kong film companies. In the early 1990s, Chang, John Woo and Kuk established Milestone Pictures Limited, which produced a series of popular films, including “Once a Thief” (1991) and “Now You See Love, Now You Don’t” (1992). Later, he further developed his film career in Hollywood and Beijing, becoming one of the few producers who could successfully connect the film industries in the United States (US), the Mainland and Hong Kong. He also assisted director Woo, actors Chow Yun-fat and Michelle Yeoh, and other filmmakers to start new chapters in their careers in Hollywood.

      The four popular films selected were initiated and made by Chang during different times in Hong Kong, Hollywood and Beijing. They include jewel-theft action film “Once a Thief” (4K Restored Version), acted by iconic film stars Chow Yun-fat, Leslie Cheung and Cherie Chung. “Face/Off” (1997), a sci-fi action film which was produced by Chang and directed by Woo, revolves around a detective and a terrorist who have their identities and faces swapped. The film was a huge success critically and commercially in Hong Kong and the US, and has become one of the signature Hollywood works of the duo.
 
     Action comedy, “The Big Hit” (1998), is a Hollywood assassin film filled with tension, black humour and absurdity, becoming an antidote to the genre at the time. Another selected film is “Reign of Assassins” (2010), which is a martial arts film tailor-made for Michelle Yeoh. The film not only showcases Yeoh’s abilities in martial arts, but also allows her to express complex emotions in various scenes. 

     “Face/Off” and “The Big Hit” are in English with Chinese subtitles, while “Once a Thief” and “Reign of Assassins” are in Cantonese and Mandarin respectively, with Chinese and English subtitles.

      Tickets priced at $45 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme details, please visit the website of the HKFA (www.filmarchive.gov.hk/en/web/hkfa/pe-event-2024-ckc.html) or call 2739 2139.

      The HKFA has organised the “Movie Talk” series since 2013. Each instalment of the series focuses on a filmmaker who selects films for screening and then participates in the post-screening talks at one weekend to intimately share with audiences the inspiration, motivation and process of their creative work.

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     The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) announced today (December 29) the results of the first-round applications to support local television stations to co-produce television variety programmes with Mainland/Asian production teams under the CreateSmart Initiative (CSI). Six applications were received from three local television stations. Three successful applications will be funded, involving a total amount of around $25.47 million.
      
     The Chief Executive proposed in the 2022 Policy Address to support the co-production of television variety programmes by local television stations and Mainland/Asian production teams to enhance the soft power of Hong Kong’s pop culture, opening up a broader market for relevant industries and their peripheral products while nurturing more talent for relevant industries. In this connection, Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) invited applications from local television stations. CreateHK will sponsor part of the production cost of approved television variety programmes through the CSI. The funding ceiling of each project is $10 million. Details of the three approved projects in the first-round applications are as follows (in chronological order by broadcasting date):
 
(1) HOY TV Limited and Guangdong Radio and Television will co-produce the “Spring Gala Festival”. Local and Mainland artists, art groups and athletes will participate in different performances in the Chinese New Year variety programme that incorporates the distinctive characteristics of Hong Kong and the Mainland. The programme is expected to be broadcast simultaneously in Hong Kong and the Mainland in the first quarter of 2024.
 
(2) HK Television Entertainment Company Limited and M.V. Television (Thailand) Co. Ltd. will co-produce the “CHILL CLUB (Thailand version)”. The programme will feature artists from Hong Kong and Thailand who will perform hit songs from both regions, as well as a large-scale live concert in Hong Kong. Hong Kong hosts will also visit Thailand to exchange with Thai music industry practitioners the latest developments of the music industry of the two places. The programme is expected to be broadcast in Hong Kong and Thailand starting from the second quarter of 2024.
 
(3) Television Broadcasts Limited and Mango TV will co-produce the “Endless Melody 2”. The programme includes a number of tours in communities in Hong Kong and a live concert in Changsha, Hunan, delivered by artists from Hong Kong and the Mainland in a format of competition. The programme is expected to be broadcast simultaneously in Hong Kong and the Mainland in the fourth quarter of 2024.
 
     CreateHK hopes that the funded projects will help promote Hong Kong’s pop culture to go beyond Hong Kong, and plans to accept the second round of applications in the first quarter of 2024.
      
     The CSI was established by the Government in June 2009 to promote and speed up the development of local creative industries to build Hong Kong into Asia’s creative capital. The CSI aims at providing financial support to projects conducive to the development of creative industries in Hong Kong. It is administered by CreateHK under the CSTB. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesman today (December 29) announced that the authority will continue to closely monitor the service demand in Accident and Emergency (A&E) Departments and for inpatients on the New Year holiday and the following days. Public hospitals have strengthened manpower to ascertain proper service provision. The HA has also enhanced holiday general out-patient clinic (GOPC) services, in order to cope with increasing service need from members of the public and to alleviate the service pressure on A&E Departments during the long holiday.
 
     Increased activity in influenza and some respiratory pathogens has been observed recently. The HA anticipates that the service demand in public hospitals will continue to rise during the New Year holiday and the following days. The HA spokesman said, “The HA will closely monitor various statistics. Public hospitals have implemented various measures according to the preparedness plan, including opening temporary beds and mobilising hospital beds flexibly, enhancing support for discharge procedures, etc, amid increasing manpower to alleviate the pressure of A&E and inpatient services.”
 
     Eighteen GOPCs will provide public holiday GOPC services on the New Year holiday (January 1, 2024) (see table below). Patients may book an appointment either through the telephone appointment system or the “Book GOPC” function of the “HA Go” mobile app.
 
     The spokesman urges non-urgent patients to avoid attending A&E Departments. They are advised to attend GOPCs, private doctors or the 24-hour clinics of private hospitals as far as practicable. To choose a suitable family doctor and related clinic service, members of the public can browse the Primary Care Directory of the Health Bureau (www.pcdirectory.gov.hk).
 
     Meanwhile, the HA also appeals to members of the public to get vaccinated early for seasonal influenza and COVID-19, especially high-risk groups, to reduce the chance of getting infected for themselves and their family members. Members of the public may find details at the Centre for Health Protection COVID-19 Vaccination Programme website  (www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/106934.html) and the Vaccination Schemes website (www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/17980.html).
 
     The HA will continue to closely monitor the situation and flexibly deploy resources and manpower when necessary, and will keep increasing its service volume, in order to provide appropriate services for patients.

     GOPC service arrangements for the New Year holiday (January 1, 2024):
 

Region	List of GOPCs	Address	Telephone number for booking	General enquiries
Hong Kong Island	Aberdeen Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	10 Aberdeen Reservoir Road, Aberdeen	3543 5011	2555 0381
	Shau Kei Wan Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	1/F, 8 Chai Wan Road, Shau Kei Wan	3157 0077	2560 0211
	Violet Peel General Out-patient Clinic	LG, Tang Shiu Kin Hospital Community Ambulatory Care Centre, 282 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai	3157 0000	3553 3116
	Kennedy Town Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	45 Victoria Road, Kennedy Town	3543 5088	2817 3215
Kowloon	Kwun Tong Community Health Centre	UG/F, 60 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong	3157 0687	2389 0331
	Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital Family Medicine Clinic	G/F, Out-patient Block, Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital, 118 Shatin Pass Road, Wong Tai Sin	3157 0118	2354 2267
	Robert Black General Out-patient Clinic	600 Prince Edward Road East, San Po Kong	3157 0113	2383 3311
	Yau Ma Tei Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	1/F, 145 Battery Street, Yau Ma Tei	3157 0880	2272 2400
	Cheung Sha Wan Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	2 Kwong Lee Road, Cheung Sha Wan	3157 0122	2387 8211
New Territories	Lady Trench General Out-patient Clinic	213 Sha Tsui Road, Tsuen Wan	3157 0107	2614 4789
	Lek Yuen General Out-patient Clinic	G/F, 9 Lek Yuen Street, Sha Tin	3157 0972	2692 8730
	Shek Wu Hui Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	G/F, 108-130 Jockey Club Road, Shek Wu Hui, Sheung Shui	3157 0965	2670 0211
	Tai Po Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	G/F, 37 Ting Kok Road, Tai Po	3157 0906	2664 2039
	Tseung Kwan O (Po Ning Road) General Out-patient Clinic	G/F, 28 Po Ning Road, Tseung Kwan O	3157 0660	2191 1083
	Tuen Mun Clinic	11 Tsing Yin Street, San Hui, Tuen Mun	3543 0886	2452 9111
	Yuen Long Jockey Club Health Centre	269 Castle Peak Road, Yuen Long	3543 5007	2443 8511
	Ha Kwai Chung General Out-patient Clinic	77 Lai Cho Road, Kwai Chung	3157 0100	3651 5411
	North Lantau Community Health Centre	3/F, North Lantau Hospital, 8 Chung Yan Road, Tung Chung, Lantau Island	3157 0106	3467 7374

 
Service hours: 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm read more

     The Government announced today (December 29) that the Chief Executive has made appointments and reappointments to the four Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) advisory committees, namely the Advisory Committee on Corruption (ACOC), the Operations Review Committee (ORC), the Corruption Prevention Advisory Committee (CPAC) and the Citizens Advisory Committee on Community Relations (CACCR), and to the ICAC Complaints Committee (ICC). All of the appointments and reappointments are for a term of two years with effect from January 1, 2024. 

ACOC

     The Chief Executive has reappointed Mr Bernard Charnwut Chan (in his capacity as the Chairman of the ORC), Professor Simon Ho Shun-man (in his capacity as the Chairman of the CACCR), Mr Victor Lam Hoi-cheung and Ms Cecilia Lee Sau-wai as members of the ACOC. The Chief Executive has also appointed Dr Kelvin Wong Tin-yau (in his capacity as the Chairman of CPAC) as a new member to the ACOC. 

     Dr Wong is an Executive Director and Deputy Managing Director of a port operator. He is currently the Chairman of the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council.
 
     The ACOC advises the Commissioner of ICAC on any aspects of the problem of corruption in Hong Kong, and keeps the operational, staffing and administrative policies of the ICAC under review. 

ORC

     The Chief Executive has reappointed Mr Bernard Charnwut Chan as the Chairman of the ORC. Dr Aron Hari Harilela, Ms Clara Chan Yuen-shan and Mr Felix Li Kwok-hing have been reappointed to the Committee as members. Ms Vivien Lau Man-yee has been newly appointed to the Committee as a member.

     Ms Lau is the Chief Executive of an airport services company. She is a member of the Hong Kong Productivity Council.

     The ORC oversees all ICAC investigations. It reviews corruption complaints received and investigations conducted by the ICAC to ensure that they are handled effectively and efficiently. It also examines circumstances where search warrants are authorised by the Commissioner, where persons have been put on bail for more than six months, and where investigations have been lasting for over a year or require substantial resources.
 
CPAC

     The Chief Executive has appointed Dr Kelvin Wong Tin-yau as the new Chairman of the CPAC. Mr Albert Su Yau-on and Ms Carrie Lau Ka-wai have been reappointed to the Committee as members. Mr Rex Mok Chung-fai has been appointed as a new member of the Committee. 
 
     Mr Mok was a principal of a secondary school. He is a member of the Action Committee Against Narcotics, the Constitution and Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee and the Fight Crime Committee.
 
     The CPAC receives and calls for reports from the ICAC about practices and procedures of government departments, public bodies and the private sector which may be conducive to corruption. It also advises the Commissioner on what areas should be examined and the degree of priority to be accorded to each.

CACCR

     The Chief Executive has reappointed Professor Simon Ho Shun-man as the Chairman of the CACCR. Miss Pinky Lau Pik-yiu, Professor Joshua Mok Ka-ho, Dr James Wong Kong-tin and Miss Jenny Yung Ching-yi have been reappointed as members of the CACCR. Ms Cally Kwong Mei-wan has been appointed as a new member of the Committee.
 
     Ms Kwong is the founder of a jewellery company. She is a member of the Correctional Services Department Complaints Appeal Board.
  
     The CACCR advises the Commissioner on appropriate measures to foster public support in combating corruption and to educate the public against the evils of corruption. It also monitors community response to the ICAC’s work and public attitudes towards corruption in general.

ICC
 
     The Chief Executive has reappointed Executive Council member Dr Lam Ching-choi as the Chairman of the ICC. Legislative Council Members Mr Steven Ho Chun-yin and Ms Eunice Yung Hoi-yan, as well as Ms Connie Lau Yin-hing and Mr Lau Chun-hung, have been reappointed as members of the ICC. Miss Grace Chan man-yee has been appointed as a new member of the ICC.
 
     Miss Chan is the Business Director of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service. She is the Vice-chairperson of the Innovation and Technology Fund General Support Programme Vetting Committee and a member of the Elderly Commission and the Process Review Panel for the Insurance Authority.
 
     The ICC monitors the handling of non-criminal complaints against the ICAC, reviews the ICAC procedures and practices which may lead to complaints, and makes recommendations when necessary.
 
     The Government expresses its gratitude to all outgoing members of the above-mentioned committees, who are retiring on December 31, 2023. Their valuable contributions to the work of the respective committees are greatly appreciated.
 
     The updated non-official membership lists of the four ICAC advisory committees and the ICC are in the Annex. read more