The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
 
     The President of the Legislative Council (LegCo), Mr Andrew Leung, will lead seven members of the Parliamentary Liaison Subcommittee (the Subcommittee) to conduct a seven-day duty visit to Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore on Sunday (May 12).
      
     Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, being members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), are very important trading partners of Hong Kong. Apart from meeting with local Speakers and Members of Parliaments, the LegCo delegation will also take the opportunity to exchange views with the relevant government departments and organisations. The objectives are to strengthen liaison with them and gain a better understanding of the latest development of these countries in respect of their political systems, economic and tourism development, innovation and technology, nurturing of emerging industries, etc.
      
     During the visit from May 12 to 18, the delegation will meet and exchange views with the Chinese Ambassadors to ASEAN, representatives of other ASEAN countries, Chinese Ambassadors to Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, and local Hong Kong businessmen and communities.
      
     The delegation will also visit the following places and organisations:
 
Malaysia

• Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
• Hong Kong-Malaysia Business Association
• Parliament of Malaysia
• Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry
• Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia
• National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia
• Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation

Indonesia

• Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway
• Parliament of Indonesia
• Indonesian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
• Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Singapore

• Parliament of Singapore
• JTC Corporation
• Housing & Development Board
• Hong Kong Singapore Business Association
• Institute of Technical Education

     The delegation is led by the President of the LegCo, Mr Andrew Leung. Deputy delegation leader is the Chairman of the Subcommittee, Mr Tommy Cheung. Other participating Subcommittee members are Mr Jeffrey Lam, Ms Nixie Lam, Ms Joephy Chan, Mr Tang Fei, Ms Carmen Kan and Mr Yim Kong.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Castle Peak Hospital made the following announcement today (May 10):
      
     Three patients (aged 31 to 69) in a male adult psychiatric ward have presented with respiratory symptoms since May 6. Appropriate viral tests have been arranged for the patients and their test results were positive for Influenza A. The patients concerned are being treated in isolation and are in stable condition.
      
     Admission to the ward has been suspended and restricted visiting has been imposed. Infection control measures have already been stepped up according to established guidelines. All other patients in the ward are under close surveillance.
      
     The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.
 
 

     The Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2024, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), will present "Fame in a Flash – A Tour of AVON Recording Studios" in June. Through the guided tour, participants will be able to unveil the mystery of this legendary studio and experience the thrill of being a singer, with the help of professional audio mixers and high-quality sound equipment. Tickets will be on sale from May 14 (Tuesday).
 
     Founded in 1983, the Avon Recording Studios is one of the most esteemed professional recording facilities in Hong Kong, bearing witness to the birth of countless classic pop songs. Luminaries of the music scene, such as Danny Chan, Leslie Cheung, Anita Mui, and Roman Tam, as well as 1990s superstars like Aaron Kwok, Leon Lai, Sandy Lam, and Faye Wong, have graced the studio. In the new millennium, Cantopop icons like Joey Yung and Eason Chan, along with recent popular idols Ian Chan and Keung To, have also recorded their music in this studio.
 
     This "Pop Music Hall of Fame" is a repository of many precious materials relating to Hong Kong's pop culture. With its highly practical acoustic design, the studio boasts a $1 million mixing console, premium-quality microphones, and antique audio equipment sourced from around the world. Its nostalgic decor is also unique to itself in many ways. During the guided tour, which lasts approximately 75 minutes, participants will not only learn about the design details and captivating stories of the recording studio, but will also have the opportunity to take memorable photos in different spots. In addition, each participant will have the chance to take part in a "demo recording" session, where they can choose a song from a special playlist featuring around a dozen titles from different eras, and record a one-minute segment of their singing like a superstar. At the end of the event, each participant will receive a personalised audio record as memento so that they may recall this music journey anytime they like.
 
     "Fame in a Flash – A Tour of AVON Recording Studios" has altogether 16 sessions – four sessions each on June 8, 15, 22 and 29 (four consecutive Saturdays). Tickets are priced at $180; a maximum of two tickets can be purchased in each transaction, and persons below 12 will not be admitted. Tickets will go on sale on May 14 at the URBTIX website (www.urbtix.hk) and its mobile ticketing app URBTIX (Android, HarmonyOS and iPhone/iPad versions). Tickets can be booked through the Internet and mobile app, but not at the URBTIX counter, telephone nor self-service ticketing kiosk. For programme and ticketing enquiries, please call 6689 5735 (Core Workshop Limited/ACOO) or 3166 1100 (URBTIX), or visit the webpage at www.pcf.gov.hk/en/programmes/fameinaflash.
 
     The LCSD presented the first Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival last year to great acclaim. This year's second edition features "Arts & Action" as its theme, taking audiences on a journey through time to explore the dynamic inheritance, diffusion, integration and breakthroughs within Hong Kong's pop culture. The 2024 festival lineup offers a wide range of formats including thematic exhibitions, film screenings, stage performances and outreach activities. Its rich content spans across literature, various art forms and martial arts, clearly showcasing how Hong Kong's vibrant and diverse pop culture stands out from the rest. For more information, please visit www.pcf.gov.hk/en.

        

     The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau will lead a delegation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government to visit Beijing and Guizhou from May 12 to 17 under the annual reciprocal visit arrangement between the HKSAR Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). The visit arrangement has been in place since 1999 to enhance communication and exchange between the two sides. It had been suspended during 2020-22 due to the COVID-19 epidemic, and was relaunched last year.

     The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, will lead the HKSAR Government delegation to visit Beijing from May 12 to 15, and the Permanent Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Ms Gracie Foo, will lead the HKSAR Government delegation to visit Guizhou from May 15 to 17.

     While in Beijing, the delegation will meet with officials of the MFA and other central ministries from May 12 to 15. The delegation will then visit Guizhou from May 15 to 17, where it will meet with officials of Guizhou and study developments in various areas of the province.

     Mr Tsang will return to Hong Kong in the afternoon on May 15. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Clement Woo, will be the Acting Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs.

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) participated in the 16th European Economic Congress (EEC) held from May 7 to 9 in Katowice, Poland (Katowice time). The EEC, organised by the PTWP Group, prides itself as the largest business event in Central Europe. It provides a platform for debate among decision makers, entrepreneurs, experts of professions, academics and other stakeholders on a wide spectrum of socio-economic issues.
      
     The Director of HKETO Berlin, Ms Jenny Szeto, joined representatives from the Polish government, the business sector and a think tank at a panel discussion session. She accentuated Hong Kong's unique advantages and positioning as a gateway between the Mainland and the world, which provide opportunities for the European business community to expand their presence on the Mainland and in Asian markets.
      
     "As a leading international financial centre as well as a trade, maritime and logistics hub, Hong Kong continues to be an ideal entry point for businesses to tap into the vast opportunities in the region, particularly the fast-growing Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area," Ms Szeto explained.
      
     Ms Szeto outlined to the audience the latest developments and initiatives of the Government to attract global talent and enterprises to the city. She also highlighted the positive updates about the economic situation of Hong Kong. "Despite the global economic uncertainties, Hong Kong's economy staged a strong recovery in 2023 with a GDP (gross domestic product) growth of 3.2 per cent, and we expect a further growth of some 2.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent in 2024." Ms Szeto said.
      
About HKETO Berlin
      
     HKETO Berlin is the official representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Poland as well as Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.