Tag Archives: China

Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:      Here is an item of interest to swimmers.      The Leisure and Cultural Serv… read more

     â€‹The Civil Aid Service (CAS) held the Foot Drill Competition 2024 at its headquarters today (November 24). The competition was officiated by the Under Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk. 
           
     About 340 CAS members forming into 27 teams participated in the competition this year. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Cheuk praised the contestants for their demonstration of a long period of rigorous training in the competition. He also commended the excellent performance by the CAS to protect lives and property of members of the public during Typhoon Yagi and Toraji striking Hong Kong, and thanked them for their diligent participation in the stress tests of the Kai Tak Sports Park to ensure the safety and order of public activities.
      
     The CAS fully adopted the Chinese-style foot drill in 2022, and this is the second year for the CAS to hold the Foot Drill Competition with this specification, towards enhancing CAS members’ sense of belonging to the country, and strengthening their national identity.
      
     In addition, the CAS has been expanding the work of national education promotion, including the organisation of cultural exchange activities with the Mainland, flag-raising ceremonies, the Safeguarding National Security Cup competition, and establishing the National Security Education Exhibition Centre at its headquarters. These events not only strengthen CAS members’ sense of national identity, but also cultivate their sense of civic responsibility, self-discipline and team spirit.
      
     Recruitment of CAS members is open for application throughout the year. Recruitment details and application forms are available on the CAS website (www.cas.gov.hk).

          

     Following is the speech by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, at the Link Hong Kong Open Prize Giving Ceremony today (November 24):

Peter (Dr Peter Lam, President, Hong Kong Golf Club), Andy (Mr Andy Kwok, Captain, Hong Kong Golf Club), George (Mr George Hongchoy, Group Chief Executive Officer, Link), Kelvin (Dr Kelvin Inge, President, Golf Association of Hong Kong, China), Cho (Mr Cho Minn Thant, Asian Tour Chief Executive), Gary (Mr Gary Player, Hong Kong Open Ambassador), Raistlin (Mr Raistlin Lau, Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism), fellow golf lovers,

     I can see many happy faces here. Obviously everyone has a smashing time on this venerable and picturesque Fanling course.

     I am privileged and jubilant to be with you today. I am here to show Government’s support for the sport of golf. And I want to thank you (especially those coming from outside Hong Kong) for joining the Link Hong Kong Open, which is a Mega Event funded and supported by our Major Sports Event Committee.

     This year’s tournament is wonderful as usual. And we have seen many good golf played this week. What makes this year’s event especially special is that it is also a test event for staging the golf championships of the 15th National Games of the country. We are looking forward to the event and hope to see you at the championships in a year’s time.

     Before closing, I must thank the Hong Kong Golf Club and the Golf Association of Hong Kong, China for making the Open such a spectacular success.

     Lastly, and very importantly, I congratulate Patrick (Mr Patrick Reed) on winning this title. Unbeknown to you, Patrick, I am among your fans. I followed you here in Fanling in the 2016 Hong Kong Open, when you played in the group with Ian Poulter. Now that you have won the tournament, you have joined the ranks of past winners such as Greg Norman and Tom Watson, and you have surpassed them by setting a new single day course record and equalled the tournament course record. A big, big congratulations indeed!

     Thank you all very much.

      

     The 22nd Cantonese Opera Day, presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), was held smoothly this afternoon (November 24) at the Ko Shan Theatre and its New Wing for the first time. Under the theme “Fun with Cantonese Opera, Joy at Ko Shan Theatre”, the event featured a wide array of exciting free activities, attracting about 10 000 visitors. The event is one of the programmes of the 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival.
 
　　This year’s Cantonese Opera Day had invited talented child and young performers from local Cantonese opera groups to stage a number of familiar excerpts, such as “The Monkey King’s Tricks to Borrow the Iron Fan” from “Journey to the West”, “A Letter of Request” from “The Story of the West Chamber”, “Outcry in Governor Mei’s Office” and “The Chance Meeting When Plucking the Plum Blossoms” from “The Reincarnation of The Red Plum”, which won rounds of applause from the audiences. Winners of this year’s Hong Kong Schools Music Festival Cantonese Opera Competition and young Cantonese opera students performed memorable pieces, including “The Warrior’s Marriage”, “A Fine Moonlit Night” from “Liu Yi and the Dragon Princess”, “The Guessing Game” from “Di Qing’s Three Campaigns”, “Chastising the Princess” and more, and shared with the audiences about their experience in learning Cantonese opera.
 
　　The “Cantonese Opera Trial Performance Playground”, a newly introduced parent-child activity this year, attracted many parents and children to collaborate in performing a short segment of the Cantonese opera, “Wandering in the Garden and Waking from a Dream”, from “The Peony Pavilion” under the guidance of a Cantonese opera instructor, enabling them to taste the joy of acting. A number of Cantonese opera game booths, including a Cantonese opera quiz competition, a handicraft production of paper puppetry, costume bookmarks and miniature masks were set up at the venue for visitors of all ages to experience the culture of Cantonese opera amid the fun-filled atmosphere.
 
　　The popular “Autograph Session” returned this year, and attracted many opera fans to meet with Cantonese opera virtuosos including Loong Koon-tin, Tang Mi-ling, Wan Fai-yin, Lau Wai-ming, Leung Siu-ming and Cheng Wing-mui. To enable participants to learn more about Cantonese opera, a world intangible cultural heritage item, from multiple perspectives, this year’s Cantonese Opera Day also featured various demonstration sessions and talks. In the “Workshop on Stylised Movements & Postures of Cantonese Opera”, tutors demonstrated and taught the skills of twirling a horse-whip and fighting with swords and spears, while the Cantonese opera make-up and dress-up demonstrations as well as talks on Cantonese opera culture and behind-the-scenes happenings also attracted many audiences.
 
　　The “Cantonese Opera Art Exhibition”, co-ordinated by the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, was held at the Exhibition Gallery of the Ko Shan Theatre New Wing. The exhibition introduced to visitors the past and present of Cantonese opera culture. Two guided tours of the Cantonese Education and Information Centre were also arranged, offering participants extensive information about Cantonese opera.
 
　　In support of the Cantonese Opera Day 2024, the “Your Memories with the Timeless Theatre” interactive exhibition, organised by the Yau Ma Tei Theatre of the LCSD, is being held at the Red Brick Building to enhance public interest in and understanding of the art of Cantonese opera.
 
　　Hong Kong is the host city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival for the first time. It is organising and co-ordinating over 260 performances and exchange activities to be held across the “9+2” cities of the Greater Bay Area. The festival aims to showcase the vibrant and diverse cultural richness of the region and foster cultural exchanges and co-operation among the cities. For detailed information about the festival, please visit www.gbacxlo.gov.hk.

                  

     The Water Supplies Department (WSD) held the first Tseung Kwan O Desalination Plant (TKODP) Open Day today (November 24) to promote to the public the desalination plant facilities as well as the water treatment process. The event attracted over 1 600 members of the public to visit, including students and professional groups.
      
     This morning, the WSD held a simple but solemn opening ceremony for the TKODP Open Day. At the ceremony, the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Ricky Lau, remarked that the opening of the TKODP showcased Hong Kong’s achievements as an international infrastructure centre with the introduction of the advance desalination technology through cross-boundary and cross-disciplinary collaborations. Other officiating guests at the ceremony included the Director of Water Supplies, Mr Roger Wong, and the representatives of the consultant and contractor of the TKODP project.
      
     Open Day events commenced right after the opening ceremony. The WSD set up a number of visiting points in the TKODP. The members of the public could visit major facilities including the Reverse Osmosis Building, the ActiDAFF and the Administration Building etc. During the visit, the public learnt about the process of turning seawater into drinking water to produce drinking water that fully meets Hong Kong Drinking Water Standards. Many visitors tasted on-site the output of the TKODP.
      
     Since 1960s, our country has been providing us with uninterrupted supply of Dongjiang water which currently makes up about 70 to 80 per cent of fresh water consumption in Hong Kong to support our sustainable social and economic development. Next year will mark the 60th anniversary of Dongjiang water supply to Hong Kong. To deepen the public’s understanding of the history, development and current situation of Dongjiang water supply as well as the nation’s immense support and care rendered to Hong Kong, a dedicated exhibition on “Dongjiang Water Supply to Hong Kong” was set up to display precious historical photos showing the situation of water rationing in 1960s and the Dongjiang-Shenzhen Water Supply Scheme, and also the measures and efforts of the governments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Guangdong to safeguard the quality and security of Dongjiang water supplied to Hong Kong.
      
     Photo spots and interactive game zones were also set up in the TKODP. WSD mascot Water Save Dave posed for photos with visitors who were involved in the interactive games on water conservation.
 
     The first stage of the TKODP was commissioned for supplying water on November 22 in 2023 with a water production capacity of 135 000 cubic metres per day, accounting for around 5 per cent of the overall fresh water demand in Hong Kong. The plant provides Hong Kong with a water source that is not susceptible to climate changes, enhancing resilience and stability in fresh water supply. Looking forward, the WSD will continue to promote sustainable water resources development and enhance other water management initiatives to ensure a sustainable use of valuable water resources in Hong Kong.
 
     Legislative Council members Dr Lo Wai-kwok; Mr Tony Tse; Mr Andrew Lam; the District Officer (Sai Kung), Ms Kathy Ma; Sai Kung District Council members Ms Christine Fong, Mr Yau Ho-lun, Mr Chong Yuen-tung, Mr Chan Kai-wai; the chairman of the Advisory Committee on Water Supplies, Professor Joseph Kwan; and the chairman of the Drinking Water Safety Advisory Committee, Dr Chan Hon-fai and the vice-chairman of the committee, Professor Irene Lo also attended the opening ceremony this morning.