The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (December 15) strongly opposes and condemns certain countries and organisations for making irresponsible and unsubstantiated accusations against the lawful actions of the National Security Department (NSD) of the Hong Kong Police Force to put persons at large on a wanted list.

     A spokesperson for the HKSAR Government said that endangering national security is a very serious offence. No country will watch with folded arms acts and activities that endanger national security. It is a common practice of the Police and other law enforcement agencies to release information of fugitive offenders who have allegedly committed serious offences and are wanted, and appeal to members of the public to assist in bringing fugitive offenders to justice. This is also squarely in line with the international practice.

     The spokesman said, "Extraterritoriality is a common feature of national security laws in many countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States. The scope of application of the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL) fully aligns with the principles of international law, international practice and common practice adopted in various countries and regions. Such practice is both necessary and legitimate, and is also in line with those of other countries and regions around the world. Some countries have chosen to continue to deliberately ignore the extraterritorial effect of their laws in safeguarding national security, and wantonly made unreasonable criticisms and smeared the extraterritorial effect of the NSL and the Police's law enforcement actions conducted in accordance with the law time and again. These are clearly typical manipulations tainted with double standards."

     "It is outrageous that wanted persons who have absconded overseas allegedly continue to engage in acts and activities endangering national security. The HKSAR Government will not condone such criminal acts, and will pursue the liability of the fugitives who have absconded overseas and endangered national security to the end by adopting all practicable measures to bring them to justice. No country or organisation should harbour criminals nor exonerate these people with different excuses,” the spokesman stressed.

     "Fugitives should not have any delusion that they could evade legal liabilities by absconding from Hong Kong. Fugitives will be pursued for life unless they turn themselves in. The HKSAR Government will continue to uphold the principle of 'laws are observed so as to bring offenders to account' and apprehend the fugitive offenders in accordance with the law and will not allow them to evade justice," the spokesman added.

     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, officiated at the launching ceremony of the Alliance of Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurial Bases in the Greater Bay Area today (December 15), witnessing the establishment of the Alliance together with representatives from Guangdong and Hong Kong. The Alliance will provide a one-stop information, publicity and exchange platform to support Hong Kong youth entrepreneurs in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
      
     Other officiating guests from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) included the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, and the Permanent Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Ms Shirley Lam; and officiating guests from Guangdong included the Director-General of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province, Ms Li Huanchun, and the Director-General of the Human Resources and Social Security Department of Guangdong Province, Mr Du Minqi.
      
     Speaking at the launching ceremony, Mr Chan said, "The Hong Kong SAR Government attaches great importance to youth development. We strive to build a stage for young people to display their full talents and realise their dreams, and leverage the Greater Bay Area as an entry point to promote young people to actively integrate into the overall development of the country. To further pull together the efforts of authorities and community sectors on the Mainland and Hong Kong to support Hong Kong youth entrepreneurs in pursuing and realising their dreams, the HKSAR Government proposed the establishment of the Alliance of Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurial Bases in the GBA." 
 
     The establishment of the Alliance is one of the key tasks under the Guangdong-Hong Kong task force on youth employment, entrepreneurship and internship. The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB), the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province and the Human Resources and Social Security Department of Guangdong Province are the leading parties of the Alliance. Nearly 60 representative organisations from various sectors in Hong Kong and other cities of the GBA also joined the Alliance, including government and public organisations, innovation and entrepreneurial bases, non-governmental organisations and social organisations, post-secondary institutions and scientific research institutes, professional organisations and venture funds.
 
     Mr Chan added, "The Alliance will leverage the resources and networks of the member organisations to achieve synergy and offer comprehensive support to youth entrepreneurs."
 
     The key tasks of the Alliance include –
 

1. organising diversified activities to provide youth entrepreneurs with more comprehensive and practical information and support services, and to facilitate them in expanding their social, commercial and investor network and enhance their competitiveness;
2. conveying the needs of Hong Kong youth entrepreneurs to relevant authorities in relation to the business environment and policies in different cities and areas of the GBA;
3. fostering the exchange and co-operation between relevant stakeholders, so as to jointly promote Hong Kong youth entrepreneurship in the GBA; and
4. disseminating information about the support to Hong Kong youth entrepreneurship in the GBA as well as activities organised by member organisations through the Alliance's designated webpage.

 
     Two seminars were held right after the launching ceremony. Representatives from members of the Alliance shared how they support youth entrepreneurs, and four Hong Kong youth start-up teams subsidised by the HYAB's Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the GBA shared their experience in pursuing entrepreneurship in the GBA.
      
     Young people who have already started or are interested in starting their businesses can visit the designated webpage of the Alliance (www.weventure.gov.hk/en/gba_alliance/) to understand more.

    

     Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) and the Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association (HKCEA) held a seminar today (December 15), promoting the latest developments of the Northern Metropolis and the co-operation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen to an audience of Mainland and foreign enterprises in Hong Kong, calling for their active exploration of the business opportunities arising from the Northern Metropolis and participation in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

     The seminar began with welcoming remarks by the Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, Ms Alpha Lau, and the President of the HKCEA, Mr Yu Xiao, followed by two presentations on the Northern Metropolis Action Agenda and the Development Plan for Shenzhen Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, delivered by the Director of the Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office, Mr Vic Yau, and the Deputy Director General of the Shenzhen Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Ms Yu Jing, respectively.

     Ms Lau said, "The development of the Northern Metropolis will enable Hong Kong to forge closer economic co-operation with other GBA cities, capitalising on the huge opportunities arising from the high-quality development in the GBA. The different zones of the Northern Metropolis and the corresponding areas in Shenzhen will complement one another and develop in a co-ordinated manner. This will not only create a strong growth impetus for Hong Kong, but also provide a new focus for and inject new vigour into the development of the entire GBA."

     Ms Lau added, "With the National 14th Five-Year Plan supporting Hong Kong to develop into an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government is committed to developing the Northern Metropolis into a 'new international I&T city'. The I&T zone in the Northern Metropolis will fully integrate with the Shenzhen Park of the Hetao Co-operation Zone, establishing a 'South‑North dual engine' industry pattern."

     Addressing the audience, Mr Yu said that this seminar, organised in collaboration with InvestHK, aims to facilitate companies in Hong Kong to better seize opportunities arising from the development of the Northern Metropolis with more communication platforms so that peers can work better together for mutual development. Hong Kong has rich resources in science and technology education and a deep pool of professional talent in various sectors, while Shenzhen has a vibrant atmosphere of innovation and entrepreneurship with clear advantages in high-tech industry development. Closer co-operation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen will generate better synergy conducive to and has great importance in expediting the development of the GBA into an international innovation and technology centre, as well as creating new impetus for the development of the GBA. The Northern Metropolis, just one river away from Shenzhen, offers a good geographical advantage as a forefront to pilot the course of co-operation between the two places, plus act as a new engine for Hong Kong's future development offering unlimited opportunities.

     The seminar included a panel discussion moderated by Member of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and Member of the Legislative Council Dr Hoey Simon Lee. At the panel, Mr Yau, Ms Yu and other speakers including Member of the Legislative and the Vice Chairman of China Merchants Port Group Co Ltd, Mr Yim Kong, and the Research Director of the One Country Two Systems Research Institute, Dr Fang Zhou, had an in-depth discussion about the co-operation opportunities between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

     For photos of the seminar, please visit: www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72177720313402438.

        

     The Muse Fest HK 2023 launched by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) in November has successfully concluded, attracting more than 520,000 people to participate in more than 80 fabulous programmes organised by the LCSD museums.

     With the theme of "Hong Kong H.A.S. (History. Arts. Science.) Museums", the fascinating programmes this year included the two-day carnival "A Fiesta of Imagination", which is a joint venture of various cultural sections under the LCSD, held at the Hong Kong Science Museum (HKScM). Through an exhibition van, interactive exhibits, an interactive storytelling device, live music performances and a magic show, the fiesta offered participants a different experience in the science fiction world. 

     Moreover, fun days were held at various museums including the Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum, the Hong Kong Railway Museum, the Oil Street Art Space (Oi!), the Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery, and the Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre located in the Sam Tung Uk Museum during the month. Through specially arranged guided tours, games, demonstrations, talks and workshops, members of the public learned more about these museums. In particular, the After-Dark Safari Party@ScM at the HKScM, and the Oi! Night Walk at Oi!, exclusively organised for LCSD Museum Pass holders, received an overwhelming response from the public.    

     In response to public support, the festival's Selected Museum Publications and Souvenirs Mega Sale will be extended to March 31, 2024. Members of the public are welcome to visit various museums to buy their selections. 

     To echo the Night Vibes Hong Kong campaign to promote night activities, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the HKScM and the Hong Kong Space Museum (HKSpM) under the LCSD are extending their opening hours to 10pm on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (except December 24 and 31, when special arrangements will be applied) until January 1 next year. Members of the public are welcome to visit various exhibitions in the museums. During the extended opening nights, the Space Theatre at the HKSpM will also feature an extra show. 

     Meanwhile, to enable the public to experience the joy of visiting museums and exhibitions both physically and virtually, the LCSD's online informative and learning platform, the Edutainment Channel, has launched a new page "Virtual Exhibitions Hub" (www.lcsd.gov.hk/edutainment/en/museums/page_3519.html). Audiences can explore museums and exhibitions anytime and anywhere through 360 degree virtual reality videos without the limitation of time and space. The videos include those from the "Museum Outward Bound Virtual Tour Series" such as "A Not-To-Be-Missed Railway Journey" Railway Museum, "Top 3 Mysterious Places on the Fireboat" on the Alexander Grantham, and "Becoming an Astronomer in 10 Minutes" Astropark 360 degree virtual tour, "Be My Guest" – Law UK Virtual Tour, the Art Promotion Office's "Hong Kong House at Echigo-Tsumari Art Field 2023 – A DOUBLE LISTEN: Yama no Oto" and a series of "Art＞＜Creativity" exhibitions in the Greater Bay Area, the Hong Kong Museum of Art's "Avowal through Withdrawal: Selected Paintings and Calligraphies from the Chih Lo Lou Collection" virtual exhibition, the Hong Kong Film Archive's "A Page of Film History that You Should Know – Out of the Past – From the Tai Ping Treasure Trove" 360 degree virtual tour and more.

     During the festival this year, 24 representatives from LCSD museums and their counterparts in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Greater Bay Area) attended the establishment conference of the Greater Bay Area Museum Federation cum the first meeting of federation members at Guangdong Museum, where a letter of intent on co-operation among the members was signed, followed by a plaque presentation ceremony. The federation aims to deepen the exchange and collaboration in the heritage and museum domain within the Greater Bay Area, promoting the synergistic development of the sector for the inheritance of the fine traditions of Chinese culture and telling the good stories of China.

              

     The Oil Street Art Space (Oi!) will launch two new exhibitions, "Vita in Movimento" and "The Digital Cuboid: Virtual Realm", tomorrow (December 16). These exhibitions feature remarkable artworks created by architects and multimedia artists, which enable visitors to appreciate the interplay of light, shadows and colours of Hong Kong's city and natural landscape and experience the visual impact of naked-eye 3D animation, allowing them to enjoy two distinct art experiences.
      
     The exhibition "Vita in Movimento" showcases nearly 100 watercolour paintings and photography works created by three influential Hong Kong architects, Vincent Ng, Jeff Tung and William Tseng. The works focus on Hong Kong's natural landscape, old and new buildings, as well as snapshots of people's daily lives. Drawing from their architectural expertise and sensibilities, the trio leads viewers to explore new perspectives for appreciating the city and revisit familiar and ordinary objects, presenting the collective memories embedded within the community. This exhibition also presents an outdoor installation by young architectural designer Tiffanie Tseng. The designer merges close-ups and colours of some of the exhibits of "Vita in Movimento" into the installation so that visitors can experience a harmonious interplay of colours of fiery oranges, soothing ambers, serene greens, blues, light and shadows, which symbolises the interconnectedness of life, art, nature and the urban landscape. The exhibition will also include a series of workshops and sharing sessions to arouse public interest in watercolour and photography. For details, please visit the website of Oi!.
      
     In the exhibition "The Digital Cuboid: Virtual Realm", media artist Ng Tsz-kwan, as the exhibition's Creative Technologist, led four art groups to create four sets of digital artworks respectively. While the "Emotional System" created by Axis Studio allows the audience to experience a transformative moment and share a sense of resonance by visually depicting the cyclical system that impacts emotional well-being and drive, the CT.LAB's artwork "MPU‧Continents" invites the audience to participate and explore the potential application of artificial intelligence in understanding personal emotions. "Pearl" by Nine Monkeys Workshop applies the animation of the Sabah Grouper as a metaphor for people who survive to meet societal expectations. The animation "Beyond the Noosphere" presented by Zheng Mahler, which breathes life into visual depictions of geological, biological, and cultural histories, and invite the audience to reflect upon the intricate connections between nature, humanity and the relentless passage of time, by using animation techniques and artificial intelligence tools. These digital artworks brilliantly combine art and technology, resulting in a profound impact on the viewers' visual perception through presenting on a large high-definition screen.
      
     The exhibition is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and organised by Oi!. The two exhibitions will be open to the public from December 16. "Vita in Movimento" will be on display at Oi! Glassie G/F and Oi! Garden until February 18 next year, while "The Digital Cuboid: Virtual Realm" will be on display at Oi! Deck. For details, please visit the website www.apo.hk/en/web/apo/oi_projects_and_programmes.html or call 2512 3000 for enquiries.