Co-organised by the Development Bureau (DEVB), the National Cultural Heritage Administration and the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region, the exhibition entitled "Under the Same Roof: Origin and Art of Lingnan Traditional Architecture" officially opened today (December 12). It is the first exhibition jointly curated by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Exchange and Collaboration on Archaeological and Cultural Heritage Amongst the Greater Bay Area last year.

     The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, the Director of Art Exhibitions China, Mr Tan Ping; the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region, Ms Leong Wai-man; and the Deputy Director General of the Guangzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau, Ms Ou Caiqun, officiated at the opening ceremony.

     The exhibition showcases the history and features of Lingnan traditional architecture, as well as the culture and traditions of the Lingnan region and the Central Plains, which share the same origin. Featuring 170 painstakingly selected invaluable items/sets of exhibits from Guangdong, Macao and Hong Kong, the exhibition offers visitors a rare opportunity to appreciate the distinctive features of Lingnan traditional architecture from a close distance. Most of the exhibits are displayed in Hong Kong for the first time. Highlight exhibits include the Panyu shrine, a grade-one national treasure from the Guangdong Museum of Folk Arts; the earliest discovered green-glazed barrel tile and board tile from the Nanyue King Museum; cased coloured glass windows and woven bamboo architectural decorative components from the Macao Museum; a carved red sandstone column base of the Chenghua reign of the Ming dynasty unearthed in Hong Kong; traditional building components on loan from various clans, temples and private organisations in Hong Kong.

     The exhibition runs at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre, Kowloon Park, Haiphong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, until June 2 next year. Admission is free. For details, please visit the website of the Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) of the Development Bureau (www.amo.gov.hk/en/news/index_id_146.html?year=2023) or call 2208 4488.

     The AMO has also produced a short video about the preparation of the exhibition which can be viewed at the AMO's website.

              

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by China CITIC Bank International Limited relating to fraudulent websites and internet banking login screens, which have been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.

     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks' websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).

     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the websites or login screens concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

     Domestic aircraft C919 and ARJ21 arrived in Hong Kong this afternoon (December 12) and were received by a ceremonial water salute, prompting a series of activities in celebration of the visit of the two home-grown airliners.

     The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) and the Airport Authority Hong Kong will organise a welcoming ceremony at the apron of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) tomorrow (December 13), followed by a static display of the two aircraft at a designated area of HKIA from tomorrow afternoon until December 15. The static display is intended for visits by the Executive Council, the Legislative Council, invited repesentatives of the aviation industry and youth groups, etc. If weather permits, the C919 will conduct a demonstration flight over Victoria Harbour this Saturday morning (December 16). It is estimated that the C919 will take off at 10.30am from HKIA, and will overfly Victoria Harbour twice from west to east. Members of the public can admire the domestic aircraft up close at both sides of the Victoria Harbour, including the Tsim Sha Tsui East waterfront, Kwun Tong promenade, Quarry Bay Promenade, West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade, the Central and Western District Promenade, and Golden Bauhinia Square. For more details, please visit the following website: www.cad.gov.hk/english/comac.html.

     To facilitate the flight demonstration, the CAD will establish a temporary restricted flying zone (RFZ) in and around Victoria Harbour. Flying activities, such as the flying of unmanned aircraft systems (drones and model aircraft), kites, captive balloons, mass release of small balloons, etc, will be restricted. The CAD will announce details of the temporary RFZ on the electronic portal for small unmanned aircraft "eSUA" and by Notice To Airmen.

     After the fly-past on December 16, representatives from the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd, manufacturer of the C919 and the ARJ21 aircraft, will accept an invitation to meet with over 200 young people at the CAD Headquarters in the afternoon to share interesting facts about the knowledge and development of the two aircraft.

          

     â€‹The Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) held Meet the Partners Networking Event with the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) today (December 12). Representatives of over 40 strategic enterprises from industries including life and health technology, artificial intelligence and data science, financial technology, and advanced manufacturing and new-energy technology were invited to the event. The ITC's representatives delivered a comprehensive introduction of the various funding schemes it offers to innovation and technology (I&T) enterprises and focused discussion on programmes that target to support research and development (R&D), such as the Enterprise Support Scheme, Research Talent Hub, as well as the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme newly launched by the Government in October. They also addressed concerns raised by attending enterprise representatives.
      
     The ITC administers the Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF) which aims to increase the added value, productivity and competitiveness of Hong Kong's economic activities. Currently, there are a total of 18 funding schemes under the ITF, providing support in five I&T areas, namely "supporting R&D", "facilitating technology adoption", "nurturing technology talent", "supporting technology start-ups" and "fostering an I&T culture", to meet different business development needs of enterprises.
      
     In his opening remarks, the Director-General of OASES, Mr Philip Yung, pointed out that I&T is one of the key development areas of the current-term Government, and attracting high-potential I&T enterprises is critical to promoting the development of strategic industries and building the I&T ecosystem. OASES has been working closely with the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau on relevant work, with a view to supporting the Government in consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong's development of "eight centres" as outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan, and expediting the development of Hong Kong into an international I&T centre. Based on OASES' experience over the past year, funding, talent and policy measures are common major concerns of enterprises regardless of their company size, industry or development plan. Identifying suitable I&T measures and resources would facilitate the setting up or expansion of operation of strategic enterprises in Hong Kong, which will in turn attract their upstream, midstream and downstream partners to Hong Kong, to generate synergies across the entire industry chain.
      
     OASES will continue to organise different promotional events to provide networking platforms for strategic enterprises and stakeholders for jointly promoting the vibrant development of Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem.

    

     The Transport Department (TD) today (December 12) reminded the public that, to facilitate the holding of the 57th Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo at Victoria Park from December 16, 2023, to January 8, 2024, the following special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented in the vicinity of Causeway Bay and Tin Hau:

* Pedestrianisation continues to be implemented at East Point Road, Lockhart Road east of Cannon Street, and Great George Road Street west of Paterson Street from 4pm to midnight on Mondays to Fridays (except public holidays), and from noon to midnight on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays;

* Depending on the on-site crowd and traffic conditions, the section of Gloucester Road between Kingston Street and Causeway Road, Sugar Street, Great George Street, Paterson Street, Kingston Street, Cleveland Street, Hing Fat Street, Electric Road and Lau Li Street may be closed temporarily or intermittently, and a corresponding traffic diversion will be implemented upon the Police's request;
 
* Bus stops on Causeway Road outside Victoria Park will be rearranged temporarily;
 
* The public light bus stands at Paterson Street and Sugar Street, and the taxi stands at Paterson Street and Lau Li Street may be suspended upon the Police's request; and

* Hing Fat Street Public Carpark (except for disabled parking spaces) will be suspended at different time slots daily from December 13, 2023 to January 9, 2024.

     Details of the special traffic and transport arrangements are available on the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk) or mobile application "HKeMobility". Passengers may also refer to the passenger notices displayed by the relevant public transport operators.
 
     Members of the public are advised to make use of public transport services as far as possible to avoid traffic congestion and unnecessary delays. The TD and the Police will closely monitor the traffic situation and implement appropriate measures when necessary. The Police may adjust the traffic arrangements, subject to the prevailing crowd and traffic conditions. The public should pay attention to the latest traffic news through radio, television or "HKeMobility".