Tag Archives: China

     To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, two special evening events will be hosted this weekend (November 23 and 24). An outdoor immersive light show, “Gentle Smoke of Tea”, which integrates architecture, history and the art of tea ware, will be staged to reminisce about the museum’s history and mission. A concert will be held in the evening of November 23, where visitors will experience a unique audiovisual art performance. The evening events are also part of Muse Fest HK 2024. Admission is free. Visitors can join on the spot without prior registration.

     “Hong Kong Artist Dialogue Series: ‘Gentle Smoke of Tea’ Light Show” and “The Sound of Art” concert will be held from 6.30pm to 8pm on Saturday. By integrating the latest projecting technology into historical architecture, Hong Kong art group XRT will illuminate the façade of the museum, a nearly 180-year-old building, with themes of poetry, calligraphy, painting and seal carvings on tea ware. This will highlight the distinctive architectural features of this historical building and offer the audience a visual feast. In addition, audience members can also enjoy a concert on the museum’s outdoor lawn, immersing themselves in music.

     On Sunday night, in addition to the light show, audiences can visit various exhibitions at the museum, including the newly launched thematic exhibition “Rendezvous with Tea” in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the museum. With a theme of auspicious and profound blessings, the exhibition features 18 unique and meaningful teapots selected from the K.S. Lo Collection of the museum. The exhibits span from the Ming dynasty to the 20th century, with most pieces featuring vibrant colours and intricate decorations. They showcase Dr K S Lo’s aesthetic appreciation for folk vessels while highlighting the beauty of traditional Chinese culture. These teapots are adorned with a variety of auspicious patterns that are especially suitable for birthday celebrations, including patterns of the Chinese characters fu (blessing) and shou (longevity), the Eight Immortals of Chinese mythology presenting birthday wishes, and auspicious symbols such as dragons, bats and butterflies. Some teapots are creatively designed, for example in the shape of a peach or a pear or even the character shou.

     The museum has also invited art group DBIS to create the interactive installation “Garden of Four Seasons” by integrating art and technology. By incorporating the Twelve cups representing flowers of each month in wucai enamel from the museum’s collection into its interactive artwork, audiences can engage with these 12-month cups to guide the growth of floral deities through their body movements, creating a lively virtual garden.
      
     Located at 10 Cotton Tree Drive, Central (inside Hong Kong Park), the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware was originally built in 1846 as the former residence of the Commander of the British Forces and is also known as the “Flagstaff House”. This two-storey mansion constructed in Greek Revival style is the oldest surviving example of Western architecture in Hong Kong. It was revitalised as the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware in 1984 after renovations and was declared a monument in 1989. It is a branch museum of the Hong Kong Museum of Art under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. It is dedicated to the collection, display, and study of tea ware and its related culture. For details of the museum’s 40th anniversary events, please visit the website hk.art.museum/en/web/ma/tea-for-all.html or call 2869 0690 for enquiries.

              

     The Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong, and the Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, attended different forums of the 2024 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit held in Hangzhou today (November 21) and exchanged views on Hong Kong’s latest developments in innovation and technology with representatives of government institutions, international organisations, enterprises and research institutes from the Mainland and abroad.

     They attended the opening ceremony and plenary session of the Summit yesterday (November 20). The Summit, with the theme “Embracing a People-centered and AI for Good Digital Future – Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace”, is hosted by the World Internet Conference.

     Ms Cheong attended the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Internet Development Forum and delivered a keynote speech today, stressing that Hong Kong is pressing ahead to build itself into an international innovation and technology centre, with a view to creating new quality productive forces through scientific innovation.

     She pointed out that Hong Kong is actively taking forward the development of innovation and technology in the GBA by promoting data flows, and is also accelerating the development of the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone. The Development Outline for the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone was promulgated by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government yesterday, under which facilitation policy measures enabling the flow of personnel, materials, capital and data between the Hong Kong Park and the Shenzhen Park will be explored with the relevant central authorities under the “one country, two systems” and “one zone, two parks” principles. The policy measures will help promote technological and industrial innovation and make the Hetao Co-operation Zone a crucial source of new quality productive forces for the GBA and the country.

     Ms Cheong then attended the Digital Economy Forum. In her keynote address, she noted that Hong Kong is driving its digital economy by using data as a key element through four directions: enhancing Hong Kong’s digital policy, strengthening digital infrastructure, promoting digital industrialisation and industrial digitisation, and expanding international co-operation in the digital economy. The HKSAR Government is also developing 10 hectares of land in Sandy Ridge in the Northern Metropolis as a data park to pool together representative data enterprises from home and abroad. Leveraging the city’s unique role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder”, the HKSAR Government is striving to enhance the resilience of global supply chains through a digital economy, thereby making a greater contribution to advancing the Chinese path to modernisation while supporting the establishment of global institutional and system innovation.

     Separately, Mr Wong delivered a keynote address today in the Cybersecurity Forum for Technology Development and International Cooperation, sharing the strategies of the HKSAR Government in promoting the development of artificial intelligence (AI). He stated that the HKSAR Government is implementing various measures including enriching data resources, promoting data openness, and establishing digital infrastructure to support the comprehensive development of AI, strengthening AI governance, and promoting applications on digital government. The Government continues to strive to safeguard Hong Kong’s unique advantages of the free flow of data, openness, and a high degree of internationalisation, while simultaneously building a secure and stable Internet environment to serve as an important window for the country to the world by aligning with national development.

     Mr Wong also participated in the Data Governance Forum, where he shared Hong Kong’s efforts in promoting cross-boundary data flows, as well as the opportunities brought about by the cross-boundary data flow. He pointed out that the Standard Contract for the Cross-boundary Flow of Personal Information Within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Mainland, Hong Kong) represents a policy breakthrough and is the first facilitation measure to foster the cross-boundary flow of personal information within the GBA in a safe and orderly manner. This initiative promotes more cross-boundary services that benefit the public and businesses, thereby helping Hong Kong better integrate into the digital economic development of the GBA. He expressed gratitude to the Cyberspace Administration of China for its support of Hong Kong so that industries of all sectors in the GBA can take part in the cross-boundary data flow in a safe and orderly manner.

     Ms Cheong and Mr Wong also visited three local technology enterprises in Hangzhou. They engaged in exchanges with the enterprises’ representatives on such areas as security measures for digital government development and major international events, smart factories, and development of large AI models and applications.

     They concluded their visit today and returned to Hong Kong in the evening.

                

     Hong Kong Customs and the Australian Border Force cohosted the two-day Regional Conference on Combating Illicit Cigarette on November 20 and 21, with the meeting concluding today (November 21).     &nb… read more

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (HKETO, Brussels) is supporting the participation of Hong Kong films at the 46th Festival des 3 Continents being held in Nantes, France, from November 15 to 23.     &n… read more

     â€‹The 42nd Asian and Pacific Conference of Correctional Administrators (APCCA), hosted by the Correctional Services Department (CSD), concluded today (November 21).
      
     This year’s APCCA, themed “Collaboration for Sustainable and High-quality Development”, was attended by about 140 correctional chiefs and representatives from 30 Asia-Pacific countries and regions (including 16 Belt and Road countries), as well as representatives of relevant professional organisations.
      
     Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Wong Kwok-hing, said that the APCCA this year has achieved fruitful results and fostered exchanges and closer collaboration among correctional organisations in the Asia-Pacific region. He thanked delegates for their active participation in the Conference and sharing of valuable experiences and insights, bringing new inspiration to promoting sustainable and high-quality correctional work.
      
     Mr Wong stressed that collaboration on all fronts is key to achieving sustainable and high-quality development. Looking ahead, he hoped APCCA members will continue to maintain close liaisons, and create opportunities for co-operation, working together to promote sustainable and high-quality developments in corrections.
      
     This is the fourth time the CSD has served as the host of the APCCA. The Conference this year covered topics in five specialised areas, namely “Challenges and initiatives in corrections”, “Training, fostering and developing staff: Ensuring a professional, accountable and supportive culture”, “Technology as an aid to reducing prison violence, and to managing and rehabilitating offenders in prison and the community”, “Working with families and communities to improve rehabilitation and reintegration”, and “How to design, construct and operate prisons in a more environmentally friendly way”. During the Conference, participants actively engaged in discussions and exchanges among one another. They also visited correctional institutions in Hong Kong to learn about Smart Prison development in Hong Kong and diversified rehabilitation programmes of the CSD.
      
     As the host of the Conference this year, to tell participants from over the world the good stories of Hong Kong, the CSD specially arranged for participants to visit popular tourist attractions in Hong Kong such as Victoria Harbour, the Avenue of Stars and Ngong Ping, providing them with unique cultural and culinary experiences to experience the charm of the city.