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Chief Executive spells out Hong Kong's strengths in Belt and Road Initiative and Bay Area during her Europe visit
The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, visited Belgium and France, and attended a conference in Lindau, Germany, from 14 to 25 June. Speaking at the France-Hong Kong and Mainland China Economic Forum in Paris on 20 June, Mrs Lam said Hong Kong is destined to play an important role in the Belt and Road Initiative. She said as a highly open economy, Hong Kong embraced the free flow of capital, goods, talent and information. Powered by the Belt and Road Initiative, that flow would only expand and accelerate, she said. At a seminar jointly held by Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macao governments in Paris on 20 June, Mrs Lam called on French businesses to take advantage of the unique business opportunities arising from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area (the Bay Area). She said Hong Kong’s enhanced connectivity with the imminent opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link would add to the flow of people and goods within the Bay Area, putting it on par with some of the renowned bay areas in the world. She added that Hong Kong's strong research and development capacity, when combined with Shenzhen's advanced manufacturing sector, would create good synergy conducive to the Bay Area’s goal of becoming a significant innovation and technology hub. Read more about Mrs Lam’s speech at the forum and the seminar. |
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Hong Kong a major global destination for tourists
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 32nd International Travel Expo and the 13th MICE (meetings, incentive travels, conventions and exhibitions) Travel Expo on 14 June, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, said Hong Kong is one of the world's most favourite tourist destinations and needs to constantly reinvent to cater for this day-to-day demand. Last year, the Development Blueprint for Tourism Industry was rolled out listing four major directions. Mr Yau said in enriching the content of Hong Kong’s tourism industry, new areas are being identified such as the heritage trail in Central which connects history, heritage and new elements of design and art. He said any strategy would not be successful without enriching the content, investing for the future, and also maintaining a quality trade where all the players in the industry would contribute their part. Read more here. |
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Accelerator program for startups
The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation will co-operate with SIASUN, the first Chinese listed robotics company, to hold an accelerator program this year for startups in the areas of robots, AI, IoT, big data, UAV, AR, VR, smart home, healthy ageing, wearables and 3D printing etc. The program will run from 1 to 30 September 2018 in Hong Kong and Shanghai. The program in Hong Kong will include pitching training, visits to Hong Kong co-work spaces and lab, mentorship and business matching while the program in Shanghai will include technical consultation, investor coaching/ meetings, and visits to institutes and enterprises. The deadline for application is 13 July 2018. Read more here. |
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Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (Co-location) Bill passed
The Legislative Council in Hong Kong passed the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (Co-location) Bill on 14 June. Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, welcomed the passage, saying it signifies a big step towards the high-speed rail's commissioning target in September 2018. She said the passage of the Bill marked the basic completion of the three-step process of the co-location arrangement at the Express Rail Link (XRL) West Kowloon Station. It also provides a sound legal basis for the co-location arrangement, fully unleashing the transport, economic and social benefits of the XRL. She said the Government and the Mass Transit Railway Corporation are pressing ahead at full speed with the preparatory work to commission the link's Hong Kong section in September. Read more here. |
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New website for Hong Kong's Legal Services
A new website has been launched to provide an one-stop access for information on Hong Kong's legal services - a major strength of Hong Kong and an area of significant importance for Hong Kong's role in the Belt and Road Initiative as well as the Bay Area development. The site will be updated frequently with new content. Read more here. |
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Artistic talent of Hong Kong shines in Vivid Sydney at Chatswood
With the support of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Sydney (HKETO), a young Hong Kong watercolour artist, Elaine Chiu, had painted pictures of future cities and space live for spectators at a Vivid Sydney event in the Chatswood district of Sydney, Australia. During "Life in 2050" from 7pm to 10pm held on 7 to 9 June and 14 to 16 June, visitors saw Elaine creating giant scenes of mystifying cityscapes, capturing the heartbeat and hustle and bustle of cities. The creative and colourful paintings were projected live onto the Anderson Street side of the Concourse in Chatswood, complementing the eclectic celebration of food, fashion, light, the planet and the cosmos. It was a vivid demonstration of the capability of Hong Kong's home-grown emerging young artistic talent. Read more here. |
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City Contemporary Dance Company’s “4Seasons” Australia Tour
A two-year choreographic project across Hong Kong and Australia, the contemporary dance production “4Seasons” by Hong Kong’s City Contemporary Dance Company (CCDC) and Brisbane-based Expressions Dance Company (EDC) kicked start in Australia at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane on 14 June. The “4Seasons” was premiered in Hong Kong from 1 to 3 June. The tour in Australia comprised performances at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane from 14 to 16 June and 20 to 22 June, and at the Darwin Entertainment Centre in Darwin from 29 to 30 June. It showcased the good collaboration in contemporary dance works between Hong Kong and Australia. CCDC’s tour to Brisbane and Darwin was supported by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Sydney. Read more here. |
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