Tag Archives: China

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, today (April 18) continued his visit to Hangzhou and later proceeded to Suzhou.

     Mr Chan met with the Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Zhejiang Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Hangzhou Municipal Committee, Mr Liu Jie, and exchanged views on deepening co-operation between the two places in areas such as technological innovation, financial services, building of airports, cultural exchanges and higher education, as well as jointly fostering the development of new quality productive forces to promote high-quality development. During the meeting, Mr Chan said given that Zhejiang is a province with a large number of private enterprises, and that Hangzhou enjoys robust development in industries including intelligent Internet of Things, biomedicine and new materials and new energy and has achieved remarkable results in digital economy development, there will be plenty of room for the synergistic development of innovation and technology industries between Hong Kong and Hangzhou. With the continuous high-level two-way opening-up of the Mainland, changes in the international value and supply chains and the needs of the enterprises’ own development, there will be a greater need for Zhejiang enterprises to go global and develop international business. Hong Kong’s highly efficient and quality financial, legal and other professional services can help them better access global capital, gather talent, align with international standards, and better manage their multinational financing and supply chain, thereby achieving greater international success.

     In the morning, Mr Chan also visited an innovation and technology enterprise engaging in biomedical technology in Hangzhou. The enterprise focuses on the research and development (R&D) of ribonucleic acid technology application in various cancer screenings, and has applied for listing in Hong Kong. Mr Chan said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is actively developing the city into a health and medical innovation hub, including establishing a clinical trial facility and research platforms in the Loop, and strengthening co-operation with Mainland medical regulatory authorities. He welcomed enterprises to conduct their medical research activities and clinical trials in Hong Kong.

     Mr Chan proceeded to Suzhou in the afternoon and met with the Secretary of the CPC Suzhou Municipal Committee, Mr Liu Xiaotao. They exchanged views on the economy and development directions of the two cities. Mr Chan said Suzhou has a high concentration of high tech industries and a well developed manufacturing industry. There have been close and profound economic and cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Suzhou; and there can be deeper and more comprehensive co-operation in technological innovation and the creative industries in the future. Hong Kong’s financial and professional services as well as internationalised talent can assist enterprises in Suzhou in opening up a bigger international market. Thus the room for further co-operation between the two cities is enormous.

     Mr Chan also visited two enterprises in Suzhou, one engaging in the research and manufacturing of green optical fibre materials, and the other engaging in solar photovoltaic and green energy. He toured their production lines and exhibition, and exchanged views with their persons-in-charge. Both enterprises have a wide range of business operations in Hong Kong, as well as R&D or production bases around the world. Mr Chan encourages them to further leverage Hong Kong’s strengths in various fields, including its R&D resources that are continuously being enhanced and strengthened and comprehensive and thriving financial markets, to enhance their global presence and promote further development.

     Mr Chan will continue his visit to Suzhou tomorrow morning (April 19) and depart for Hong Kong at around noon.

          

     The delegation of the District Officers (DOs) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)Government continued its study programme in Beijing on district governance today (April 18). The delegation is led by the … read more

　　The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will organise the inaugural Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) from June to September. Through different performing arts programmes in various forms and related extension activities, the festival allows members of the public and visitors to experience the broad and profound Chinese culture with a view to promoting Chinese culture and patriotic education as well as enhancing national identity among the people of Hong Kong, making contributions to the steadfast and successful implementation of “one country, two systems”.

　　The programme parade of the CCF 2024 was held today (April 18) at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Addressing the event, the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, said that Hong Kong has the advantages of having a unique blend of Eastern and Western influences and a vast international network. The CCF will be the first signature brand of the Chinese Culture Promotion Office (CCPO) since its establishment, which will help promoting cultural exchanges and showcasing the unique charm and diverse characteristics of Chinese culture to arts and culture lovers and tourists from around the world. Such a branding initiative can also drive visitor arrivals and related business growth.

　　There is an array of programmes in the first CCF including programmes of the Chinese Opera Festival (COF), exemplary local arts projects recognised by the China National Arts Fund, performing arts programmes from arts and cultural organisations, film screenings, exhibitions and talks. To provide opportunities for students to appreciate and understand the essence of Chinese culture in a holistic manner, the CCF will specially introduce the “Chinese Culture for All: A Special Performance Series” and school tours to open new arenas for students to experience Chinese culture.

　　The opening programme of the CCF is the Dance Drama: “Five Stars Rising in the East” performed by the Beijing Dance Drama and Opera. The concept of the dance drama was inspired by a piece of Han dynasty brocade armguard unearthed from the ancient Niya cultural relics site in Hotan Prefecture of the ancient Silk Roads in Xinjiang. The woven pattern of this magnificent artefact, designated as a National Class One Cultural Relic, reveals characters that translate as “five stars rising in the East are auspicious signs for the Central Plain”. Through spectacular dance movements, music, costumes and stage design, the production reshapes the aesthetics of the Han dynasty and the local customs of the Western Regions, allowing the profound Chinese cultural heritage carried by the precious cultural relic to be showcased onstage. It also demonstrates the spirit of unity and coexistence of the Chinese nation enduring for thousands of years. 

　　The LCSD’s signature project, the COF, has now become a core part of the CCF from this year. It will present eight quality programmes packed with both civil and martial scenes, covering Cantonese opera, North Road Bangzi opera, Chiuchow opera, Liuzi opera, Yue opera, Kunqu opera, Wu opera and Peking opera. The COF allows outstanding troupes and winners of the China Theatre Plum Blossom Award from all over the country to gather in Hong Kong to showcase the unique charm of Chinese opera. The first programme of the COF, “Cyrano de Bergerac” – A Cantonese Opera Interpretation, is an adaptation of a French classic piece of the same title, demonstrating the eclecticism of the Cantonese opera, most notably in the hybrid mix of East and West. Furthermore, the Academy of Xinzhou Studies, the Guangdong Chiu Chow Opera Theatre Number One Troupe and Hong Kong’s Sun Hon Kwong Chiu Chow Opera Troupe, the Centre for the Safeguarding of Liuzi Opera of Shandong, the Fujian Fanghua Yue Opera Troupe, the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre and the Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Centre will also bring their best talent to perform their classic plays and excerpts, exemplifying the Chinese opera cultural soft power of the nation. The COF will also present a number of free programmes like meet-the-artists sessions, masterclasses and talks, enabling drama lovers to learn more about the soul of Chinese culture.

　　The CCF designates a focal city each year, and Shanghai will be the focus this year. Three speculator events will be presented to showcase the cultural charm of Shanghai styles. The Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company will present the classic play “The House of Wulong” and the full-length serial opera “Seven Heroes and Five Gallants” (in Parts One and Two) by renowned virtuoso of the Peking opera Chen Shaoyun, together with Plum Blossom awardee Fu Xiru and a cast of outstanding young performers. The Shanghai Chinese Orchestra will stage two delicate performances of Shanghai-style Chinese music in Hong Kong, “New Oriental Chinese Music Scene”, under the baton of celebrated conductor Tang Muhai. “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Fragrance of Time – In Search of Chinese Art of Scent” Exhibition will showcase a constellation of precious artefacts, including ceramics, bamboo carvings, paintings and bronze objects from the collection of both the Shanghai Museum and the Hong Kong Museum of Art, taking audiences on an olfactory journey across thousands of years. The exhibition is solely sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.

　　This year’s CCF will collaborate with the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles Hong Kong Member Association to organise a number of stage performances, including the “Ode To China”, the “New Dance Rhythms with Chinese Quintessence”, the “Concert of Drum Music Art Ensemble of Jiangzhou, Shanxi and their Hong Kong Inheritors” and the “Chinese Magical Arts’ Wonder”, demonstrating the power of unity of the local cultural sector, as well as their solid competence and boundless creativity in promoting Chinese culture. During the CCF, arts groups of some of the outstanding local works selected for funding under the China National Arts Fund have been invited by the LCSD to present their works. Three outstanding local works will be staged in the first CCF, including the Hong Kong City Chinese Orchestra’s “Hong Kong Contemporary Ethnic Orchestra Classic Music Work”, the Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble’s “Voices of Hong Kong – Everlasting Cantonese Music” and Hong Kong Xiqu Troupe’s “A New Cantonese Opera Ma Xianglan”. In addition, the CCF also promotes high-quality provincial and local stage productions, which include City Under the Moon – Dance Drama: “Mulan” by the Ningbo Performance & Arts Group, the opening programme of the International Arts Carnival 2024 – China National Acrobatic Troupe’s “Me and My Youth”, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra’s “The Ancient Tea Horse Route” and the Hong Kong Dance Company’s “Fun Ride with Big Beard – Dancing Poems 2.0”.
                                                
　　In addition to stage performance, movie fans can revisit a number of selected local films and precious Chinese opera films in the CCF. They include “Integrating Traditional Morality with Modern Reality: Sil-Metropole Retrospective” showcasing 16 works of Sil-Metropole and its predecessors Great Wall, Feng Huang and Sun Luen as well as programme “Hairpin, Butterfly and Tong Tik-sang Revisited” which shows the Cantonese opera classics. There are also screenings of Cantonese operatic song films and Chinese opera films which demonstrate the crux of excellent Chinese culture. On talks, there are “Exploring the Roots of Local Music in silk-and-bamboo, wind-and-percussion” and “Legacy and Vision: Conversations with Chinese Cultural Masters” which cover topics on traditional Chinese music, Chinese aesthetics, traditional culture, Chinese painting and calligraphy, Cantonese opera, drama, visual arts, cultural industry and more.

　　For the dates and venues of the above-mentioned programmes, please see the Annex. Tickets will be available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk) and the Xiqu Centre Ticket Office from tomorrow (April 19) onwards (except for International Arts Carnival 2024: “Me and My Youth”, “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Fragrance of Time – In Search of Chinese Art of Scent” Exhibition, “Integrating Traditional Morality with Modern Reality: Sil-Metropole Retrospective” and “Hairpin, Butterfly and Tong Tik-sang Revisited” programmes). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. A time-limited offer is available from tomorrow until May 3 for purchasing the selected stage programmes of the CCF. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321/2268 7323/2268 7325 or visit www.ccf.gov.hk.
 
　　In order to strengthen the promotion and inheritance of the fine traditional Chinese culture, in addition to the above-mentioned performing arts programmes, this year’s CCF will launch various free exhibitions and activities for everyone to share the joy. They include the exhibition “A New Era of Ink Painting in Hong Kong”, “Red Chamber Expressions – Art Exhibition and Red Studies Forum” and “Loong Legacies: Culture, Arts & Design Exhibition with IP Product Development Programme and Talks”. On June 9 at the Plaza and Foyer of Sha Tin Town Hall, the LCSD will hold the “Encountering Chinese Culture” Carnival which includes stage performances with Chinese cultural characteristics, “Library-on-Wheels”, inspiring cultural booths, a foyer concert featuring Chinese music and more for all to experience the festive atmosphere at close range. In addition to the spectacular lantern displays of different themes, the Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnivals 2024 to be held in September will bring performances by a Mainland arts group, showcasing the rich variety of China’s ethnic styles and traditional culture to the public. Details of the above programmes will be announced later.

　　The CCF, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the LCSD and the CCPO, aims to enhance the public appreciation of Chinese culture and cultivate citizen’s national identity and cultural confidence. The LCSD has long been promoting Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about the broad and profound Chinese culture. For more information, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ccpo/index.html.

                                                        

     The relevant legislation for the regulation of disposable plastic tableware and other plastic products will come into effect on April 22 (Monday, Earth Day). The Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui, today (April 18) visited branches of three large chain restaurant groups in Hong Kong to understand the trade’s preparations for the implementation of the new legislation.

     Dr Chui chatted with persons-in-charge and front-line employees of restaurants to learn about the preparations made by the restaurant groups for the implementation of the new legislation, the types of alternative tableware and how they are being provided by the restaurants, customers’ feedback, and other “plastic-free” measures of the restaurants.

     Dr Chui said, “The three chain restaurant groups we visited today, with a total of more than 1 000 branches, have either switched to non-plastic tableware or are ready to do so when the new legislation comes into effect. Some shops shared that recently half of the customers chose to order takeaways without cutlery as the regulation of disposable plastic tableware will be implemented soon and public’s environmental awareness keeps raising. To further promote environmental protection, the three restaurant groups will also implement different ‘plastic-free’ measures, including not providing disposable cutlery by default and launching incentive programmes to encourage customers to bring their own cutlery or lunch boxes. There is also a restaurant group planning to offer customers to purchase reusable stainless steel cutlery set to reduce single-use products. I understand that most of the other chain restaurants will also switch to ‘plastic-free’ on or before April 22. I sincerely thank the trade for their support and co-operation with the new policy. The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has also carried out preparations and deployment plans for implementing the regulation, and we are confident that the first phase of regulation will be implemented smoothly.”

     In addition to inspecting large chain restaurants, the EPD team will also pay visits to nearly 20 000 small and medium-sized restaurants, as well as 20 000 retail stores, hotels and guesthouses in Hong Kong during the adaptation period in the first six months following the implementation to understand their operations. The department will focus on promotion and education, as well as providing appropriate advice and information to help the trade comply with the requirements under the new legislation. The EPD also suggests that businesses should strive to deplete their stocks of regulated products within the adaptation period as soon as possible to avoid wastage. They should also make preparations for suitable alternatives as early as possible. During this period, no enforcement actions will be taken by the EPD.

     To facilitate the understanding of the regulation by various sectors of the society, the EPD has launched a series of publicity and education work, including distributing trade-specific promotional leaflets, organising sectoral training sessions and launching the “Cut Plastic Use” thematic website (www.cuttheplastics.hk), as well as establishing the Green Tableware Platform (www.greentableware.hk) to assist the trade in procuring compliant alternatives.

     Dr Chui said, “The legislation seeks to regulate disposable plastic tableware and other plastic products at source and focuses on their supply, and is not targeted at the general public. There is no need for the general public to worry about it. With the implementation of the new legislation, Hong Kong is expected to keep pace with the world in moving toward ‘plastic-free’. We call on the trade and members of the public to support the ‘plastic-and-disposable free’ culture and join hands to protect the earth.”

      

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (April 18) that a proposal from a non-profit-making organisation, AOS Management (HK) Limited, has been accepted for the provision of management, operation and maintenance of the Avenue of Stars (AoS) and Salisbury Garden (SG) located at the Tsim Sha Tsui harbourfront. The 15-year term will begin on April 20, comprising a fixed term of eight years and a further term of seven years, which will be subject to renewal after a performance review by the Government.

     According to the proposal of AOS Management (HK) Limited, there will be ongoing beautification works at the AoS and SG with a view to further enhancing the Tsim Sha Tsui harbourfront to provide a synergistic arts, culture, tourism, leisure and sports public space, as well as a must-visit attraction for both local residents and tourists from around the world. AOS Management (HK) Limited will also continue to promote Hong Kong’s film and pop culture through diversified events.  

     The LCSD announced in August last year that it would invite non-profit-making organisations to submit proposals for the management, operation and maintenance of the AoS and SG to identify the most suitable non-profit-making operator. A briefing session was held on September 21, 2023. The LCSD received one eligible proposal by the deadline of November 23, 2023. The proposal was then assessed and considered by an assessment panel based on pre-determined assessment criteria.

     The existing management, operation and maintenance contract will end tomorrow (April 19). read more