Special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Happy Valley today (December 6). The arrangements will come into effect one and a half hours before the start of the first race and will last until the crowds have dispersed after the race meeting.

A. Traffic arrangements before the commencement of the first race

1. Road closure

     Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Queen's Road East and the up-ramp outside the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) will be closed except for vehicles heading for Aberdeen Tunnel.

2. Traffic diversions

– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Village Road and the up-ramp outside HKJC will be re-routed one way northbound;
– Traffic along eastbound Queen's Road East heading for Wan Chai and Happy Valley will be diverted to turn left to Morrison Hill Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via Sports Road and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Traffic along Queen's Road East cannot turn right to Wong Nai Chung Road except for vehicles heading for Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Queen's Road East will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Morrison Hill Road to turn right at the junction of Wong Nai Chung Road and Queen's Road East; and
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Happy Valley or Racecourse will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Canal Road East, southbound Morrison Hill Road, Sports Road and Wong Nai Chung Road.

B. Traffic arrangements before the conclusion of race meeting

1. Road closure

     The following roads will be closed from about 35 minutes before the start of the last race:

– The up-ramp on Wong Nai Chung Road outside HKJC leading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Queen's Road East and the up-ramp leading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Village Road and the Public Stands of HKJC;
– Westbound Leighton Road between Wong Nai Chung Road and Canal Road East; and
– Southbound Morrison Hill Road between Leighton Road and Queen's Road East.

     In addition, southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between the up-ramp leading to Aberdeen Tunnel and the Public Stands of HKJC will be closed from about 10 minutes before the start of the last race.

2. Traffic diversions

     The following traffic diversions will be implemented from about 35 minutes before the start of the last race:

– Eastbound Queen's Road East at its junction with Morrison Hill Road will be reduced to one-lane traffic heading for northbound Canal Road flyover;
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Wan Chai will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Canal Road East, U-turn slip road beneath Canal Road flyover, Canal Road West and Hennessy Road;
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Canal Road East, eastbound Leighton Road and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road will be diverted to turn left to eastbound Leighton Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via eastbound Leighton Road and Wong Nai Chung Road; and
– Traffic along westbound Leighton Road will be diverted to Wong Nai Chung Road.

C. Learner drivers prohibition

     Learner drivers will be prohibited to turn left from Caroline Hill Road to Leighton Road between one and a half hours before the start of the first race and one hour after the last race. In addition, learner drivers will be prohibited from accessing the following roads within the above period of time:

– Shan Kwong Road between Yik Yam Street and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Village Road between its upper and lower junctions with Shan Kwong Road;
– Percival Street between Hennessy Road and Leighton Road;
– Canal Road East; and
– The service road leading from Gloucester Road to Canal Road flyover.

D. Suspension of parking spaces

     Parking spaces on southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Sports Road and Blue Pool Road will be suspended from 11am to 7pm during day racing, from 4.30pm to 11.59pm during evening racing, and from 5pm to 11.59pm during night racing.

     Any vehicles found illegally parked within the precincts of the above affected areas will be towed away without prior notice.

     Actual implementation of road closure and traffic diversion will be made by the Police at the time depending on traffic conditions in the areas. Motorists should exercise tolerance and patience, and follow the instructions of Police on site.

     The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, yesterday (December 5, Dubai time) attended the reception in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai, the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) and the Hong Kong Climate Change Forum, and delivered a keynote speech on the decarbonisation strategies and progress in Hong Kong.
 
     After the reception, Mr Tse exchanged views with HKIE’s delegation as well as professionals and young engineers attending the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28). In additional to the young engineers attending the reception, around one hundred engineers in Hong Kong also joined the chitchat session with Mr Tse through video conferencing.
 
     Speaking at the reception, Mr Tse pointed out that, the innovative ideas and technical expertise of young engineers play a crucial role in combating climate change and making a sustainable development. He also addressed the participants on green business opportunities arising from decarbonisation transformation and the challenges faced by the professionals. He encouraged them to continue to play an essential role and contribute in building a sustainable future.  
 
     In the morning, Mr Tse and the Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services), Ms Salina Yan, visited a project under i2Cool, a Hong Kong company, in the Dubai Mall. By applying the company’s product, iPaint, both surface temperature and indoor temperature can be effectively reduced, contributing to a reduction of energy consumption in buildings.
 
     In the afternoon, Mr Tse and Ms Yan also visited the exhibition booths of park companies of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, including M Concept Studio and Neuron Digital, at the COP28. He was briefed by the exhibitors on various green technology.
 
     Mr Tse will attend the COP28 China Corner’s Side Event on December 6 (Dubai time), and conclude his visit at night.

                

　　The Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present the dance drama "Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting" by the China Oriental Performing Arts Group in January next year. Due to the overwhelming public response, tickets for the three previously available performances of the production were sold out swiftly. In lights of the views given to the LCSD, two final additional performances have been arranged and details are as follows:
 
Date and time: January 6, 2024 (Saturday), 2.30pm
　　　　　　　　January 7, 2024 (Sunday), 7.30pm
Venue: Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Prices: $200, $320, $420, $520 and $620
 
　　The "Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting" was produced by the Palace Museum, China Oriental Performing Arts Group and People's Daily Online, with Zhou Liya and Han Zhen as chief directors. It was inspired by "A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains", a classic painting housed at the Palace Museum, which was created by genius young painter Wang Ximeng during the Song dynasty and is the only extant work by Wang. The prestigious national performing arts group will unveil the 1 000-year-old elegance of Song-style aesthetics and celebrate the fine traditional culture of China with the art of contemporary performance. By adopting a narrative structure that interweaves space and time, the dance drama tells the story of a researcher from the Palace Museum to travel back in time to witness the moment when Wang was about to finish the work. The researcher guides the audience to accompany Wang through the precious time he spent painting the "A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains", providing them to establish the sentimental bond between the Chinese cultural relic and modern-day people.
 
　　Tickets for the additional performances will be available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk) from December 12 (Tuesday). Each person can purchase a maximum of two tickets each time on the first day of ticket sales and a maximum of four tickets each time from the second day 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_1642.html.
      
     A dance masterclass (in Putonghua) will be organised, in which lead dancers will introduce concept of the programme, teach dance movements and techniques, suitable for those aged 16 and above with some dance experience. It will be held at 2.30pm on January 4 (Thursday) at rehearsal room GR1, Grand Theatre Backstage, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets priced at $180 will be available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk) from December 12 (Tuesday).

     Moreover, a pre-performance talk (in Cantonese) will be organised, in which Dr Raymond Tang, Curator of Hong Kong Heritage Museum, will introduce the painting "A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains". The talk entitled "The Past and Present of the Masterpiece: A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains" will be held at 3pm on December 17 (Sunday) at the Lecture Hall, Basement of the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Admission is free by online registration, with limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis. For details of the dance masterclass and pre-performance talk, please visit the above-mentioned website.

     The LCSD has all along been committed to promoting Chinese history and culture through organising different types of activities. For more details of related activities, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/common/pdf/Chinese_History_Culture_Programmes_EN.pdf.

     The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, continued his visit to Vietnam today (December 5) and met with representatives from the legal and commercial sectors of Vietnam. He also attended bilateral meetings between the Chinese delegation and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He will attend the 13th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference tomorrow (December 6) and deliver a speech at a plenary session.

     Mr Lam first met with the Vietnam Bar Federation in the morning to learn about Vietnam's latest legal developments and needs in legal services, and to exchange views on legal co-operation and exchanges between the two places. He then attended a luncheon with representatives of the commercial sector of Vietnam to introduce to them Hong Kong's unique advantages of enjoying the strong support of the motherland while being closely connected to the world under "one country, two systems", as well as its position as an international centre for legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region.

     In the afternoon, as a member of the Chinese delegation, Mr Lam attended bilateral meetings between the delegation and ASEAN member states, namely Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar to exchange views with them on issues of mutual interest.

     Mr Lam will attend the 13th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference tomorrow and deliver his speech at a plenary session hosted by the Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Procuracy of Vietnam, Mr Le Minh Tri.

     Mr Lam will conclude his visit to Vietnam and return to Hong Kong in the evening tomorrow.

    

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London (London ETO) partnered with Focus Hong Kong to showcase a selection of Hong Kong films at the Glasgow Film Theatre in Scotland, United Kingdom on December 2 to 4 (London time).

     Hong Kong film "Winter Chants", directed by Ms Tsang Tsui-shan, was screened as the closing film on December 4. Deputy Director-General of the London ETO Ms Amy Wong, greeted the co-organisers of Focus Hong Kong, Mr James Mudge and Mr Andrew Heskins, as well as the audience after the closing screening and said, "London ETO is proud to launch the first Hong Kong film festival in Glasgow, showcasing the boundless creativity of Hong Kong creative talents. The three-day festival demonstrates the unique and vibrant cultural landscape of Hong Kong, which is the key for Hong Kong to become an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange" as underpinned by the National 14th Five-Year Plan.' 

     Ms Wong also shared key initiatives announced in "The Chief Executive's 2023 Policy Address" on the promotion of creative industries, including the injection of HK$4.3 billion to the Film Development Fund and the CreateSmart Initiative. "The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is committed to supporting Hong Kong creative talents, as evidenced by initiatives such as the Hong Kong-Asian Film Collaboration Funding Scheme, the Director's Succession Scheme, and the Content Development Scheme for Streaming Platforms," she added.
      
     The Focus Hong Kong film festival presented three Hong Kong films, namely, "Nomad (4K Restoration, Director's Cut)", "Story of Ricky, aka Riki-Oh" and "Winter Chants".