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Hong Kong continued to be one of the most competitive economies in the world
Hong Kong was ranked seventh globally in the latest World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) 2023 published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD). Among the four competitiveness factors in WCY 2023, Hong Kong continued to rank second globally in “Government efficiency”, and the ranking in “Infrastructure” also improved. As regards the sub-factors, Hong Kong continued to top the ranking in “Business legislation”, and was amongst the top-five in “Tax policy”, “International investment”, “International trade” and “Technological infrastructure”. The IMD’s WCY 2023 recognised that Hong Kong continued to be one of the most competitive economies in the world. Moving forward, Hong Kong will continue to benefit from the sustained eastward shift of global economic gravity. Under “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong will leverage the staunch support of the motherland while staying connected to the world, and continue to serve its distinctive roles as a gateway, a springboard and an intermediary by virtue of its distinctive institutional and geographical advantages. Hong Kong will actively align with national development strategies, seize the opportunities arising from the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) development and the Belt and Road Initiative, so as to pursue economic development and enhance people’s quality of life.
More details here. |
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Chief Executive thanks Mainland and foreign investors for setting up business in Hong Kong
The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Mr John Lee, received over 400 senior representatives from Mainland and foreign companies at an Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) reception on 15 June, thanking them for their lasting confidence in Hong Kong’s business environment and calling upon them to continue using the city’s global advantage to expand their business worldwide. Mr Lee said that under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong has the distinctive advantages of the strong support of the motherland and the close connections with the world. With the full support of the Central Government, as well as the plentiful opportunities under national strategies such as the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the GBA development and the Belt and Road Initiative, Hong Kong is the best place for investors to start and expand their business operations.
More details here. |
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Network of Family Office Service Providers launched to promote Hong Kong as preferred destination for global family offices
InvestHK announced on 12 June the launch of the Network of Family Office Service Providers (the Network), a platform specially designed to help promote Hong Kong as a preferred destination of choice for global family offices. The Network aims to nurture the ecosystem that continues to support local and global family offices as they set up or expand in the Hong Kong market. It also provides a two-way channel for the Government to brief the industry on the latest development and provide opportunities for family offices in Hong Kong, and to mobilise their networks around the world to advocate opportunities in Hong Kong for family offices. The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, said that Hong Kong, with its vibrant financial ecosystem, sophisticated financial infrastructure and the best professional services providers, as well as the convergence of investment opportunities in the Mainland and the world, is naturally the preferred choice of location for global family offices. The Network brings together the relevant professional services providers to create mutual business opportunities and promote Hong Kong’s advantages to target markets.
More details here. |
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Expanding civil service recruitment to undergraduate students in third year of study
In order to attract people with aspirations to serve the community to join the civil service and to enable young people to better plan their future career development, starting from this year, the HKSAR Government will expand the pool of eligible candidates for civil service jobs requiring an undergraduate degree to students advancing to their third year of undergraduate studies (in a four-year curriculum) in the new academic year or those currently in their third year of undergraduate studies. Successful candidates with conditional offers can join the civil service upon graduation, subject to their fulfillment of specified conditions, including the completion of the relevant academic qualification within a stipulated period of time.
More details here. |
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Announcement of fourth batch of recognised medical qualifications under Medical Registration Ordinance
In accordance with the Medical Registration Ordinance, the Registrar of Medical Practitioners announced on 28 June the fourth batch of 25 medical qualifications recognised by the Special Registration Committee (SRC) which has taken effect on 30 June. Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (4-year medical programme) awarded by Australian National University and Doctor of Medicine (4-year medical programme) awarded by University of Western Australia are among the recognised medical qualifications included in the fourth batch. Together with the first three batches of medical qualifications recognised as announced last year, the SRC has so far recommended a total of 100 medical qualifications for recognition. Non-locally trained doctors who possess recognised medical qualifications, subject to their fulfilment of certain criteria, may apply for special registration to practise in the public healthcare institutions in Hong Kong. After serving for a certain period, obtaining recognised specialist qualifications and passing the assessment, they will be granted full registration to practise in Hong Kong. For non-locally trained medical graduates who possess recognised medical qualifications but have yet to undergo internship outside Hong Kong, subject to their fulfilment of the relevant criteria, they may take the Licensing Examination of the Medical Council of Hong Kong in order to apply for special registration to practise in the public healthcare institutions in Hong Kong. They may also obtain full registration after meeting the requirements applicable to all special registration doctors.
More details here. |
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Special arrangement for applications for extension of stay due to pandemic to be discontinued on 1 January 2024
The Immigration Department (ImmD) announced on 29 June that the special arrangement under the pandemic for Hong Kong non-permanent residents outside Hong Kong to apply for an extension of stay will be discontinued on 1 January 2024. In other words, for extension of stay applications reaching the ImmD on or after 1 January 2024, the applicants are required to be physically present in Hong Kong, namely both at the time of application and at the time of collection of the “e-Visa” for the extension of stay. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ImmD allows Hong Kong non-permanent residents who are outside Hong Kong and are unable to return to Hong Kong in time to apply for an extension of stay. Taking into account that the society has resumed normalcy in full and the steady recovery of cross-boundary and international travel, the ImmD decided to discontinue the abovementioned special arrangement on 1 January 2024, so as to allow ample time for the eligible non-permanent residents who intend to apply for an extension of stay to make suitable arrangements.
More details here. |
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Recruitment Day for non-locally trained doctors successfully held in Sydney
Supported by HKETO, the Hospital Authority (HA), the Department of Health and the medical schools of the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong promoted the latest pathway and registration arrangement for non-locally trained doctors to practise in Hong Kong at the Recruitment Day held in Sydney on 3 June. Over 200 medical students and medical practitioners from Australia participated. The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said that attracting talent is a key priority of the Government and the overseas recruitment exercise is one of the initiatives to attract medical students and medical practitioners to serve in public healthcare institutions in Hong Kong. The Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Tony Ko, shared with the participants the working environment of public hospitals in Hong Kong and he looked forward to seeing them in the HA family soon. The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, highlighted that Hong Kong has unveiled various initiatives to attract top talent worldwide and the Government has recently expanded the Talent List to cover 51 professions, including 13 professions under the healthcare services sector.
More details here. |
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Arts Forum held in Sydney to foster cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Australia
HKETO jointly organised an “Arts Forum x Networking Reception” with the Hong Kong Arts Administrators Association (HKAAA) in Sydney on 13 June to showcase Hong Kong as a vibrant arts and cultural hub. The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, welcomed the HKAAA delegation to Australia to foster closer exchanges with the local arts community. Miss Lim said in her welcoming remarks that to realise the positioning of Hong Kong as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange under the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the Government will continue to spare no effort to develop world-class cultural facilities and a pluralistic cultural environment. In addition to staging an array of mega arts events in Hong Kong, the Government will enable Hong Kong arts groups and artists to connect with audiences of different places. She also shared with the participants the proactive initiatives of the Government to attract talent to Hong Kong.
Prominent leaders from the arts and cultural sectors in Australia took part in a panel discussion to share their valuable insights and experiences of working across Australia, Hong Kong, Mainland China and other parts of the Asia Pacific region and highlight partnership and collaboration strategies for arts organisations. A networking reception was held after the Forum.
More details here.
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Business seminar held to promote Hong Kong’s latest developments in logistics, maritime and aviation
HKETO jointly organised a business seminar with InvestHK, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Australian Trade and Logistics Corporation in Melbourne on 15 June to promote the latest developments in logistics, maritime and aviation in Hong Kong. Addressing the seminar in a video speech, the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, said that the National 14th Five-Year Plan has supported the development of the international maritime centre and international aviation hub in Hong Kong. He highlighted various initiatives of the Government on logistics, maritime and aviation front, including setting up a Task Force on Maritime and Port Development Strategy, the Three-Runway System and transforming Hong Kong International Airport into an Airport City. The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, said that the Government has rolled out a raft of proactive initiatives to attract top talent and strategic businesses worldwide to tap the boundless opportunities in Hong Kong. She encouraged participants to take part in the upcoming Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference in November in Hong Kong.
Prominent representatives from the logistics, maritime and aviation sectors took part in a panel discussion to share their valuable insights about market trends in the three sectors and the unique strengths of Hong Kong for relevant businesses to grow and scale.
More details here.
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Deputy Director of HKETO Sydney attended Business Networking Event
The Deputy Director of HKETO Sydney, Mr Henry Mak, attended the Business Networking Event jointly organised by the Queensland Branch of the Australia China Business Council and the Queensland Chapter of the Hong Kong Australia Business Association in Brisbane on 15 June. Mr Mak highlighted the unique advantages and core competitiveness of Hong Kong as Asia’s world city and international financial centre. He also shared with the participants the proactive initiatives of the Government to attract top talent and enterprises, and introduced a series of mega events to be held in the coming months to encourage participants to visit Hong Kong. |
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Director of HKETO Sydney attended the Closing Reception of the HKAAA Delegation
The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, attended the Closing Reception of the HKAAA Delegation in Melbourne on 16 June. Miss Lim said that arts and culture has always been one of HKETO’s key priorities. The Government strives to create opportunities for cultural dialogues on a global scale by facilitating Hong Kong arts groups and artists to connect with audiences of different places. HKETO supported the HKAAA delegation to attend the Australian Performing Arts Market at RISING Melbourne and organise the Closing Reception to foster exchanges between arts practitioners from Hong Kong and Australia. |
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Exhibition held in Melbourne to foster cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Australia
HKETO supported the “Closer Together” exhibition in Melbourne co-organised by the School of Art of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and the Hong Kong Art School to foster cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Australia and showcase the artworks of Hong Kong art talent. Addressing the exhibition launch on 22 June, the Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, said that the Government will continue to spare no effort to develop world-class cultural facilities and a pluralistic cultural environment, highlighting the M+ Museum, Hong Kong’s global museum of visual culture, and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, which showcases national treasures from Beijing’s Forbidden City. She added that the Government has unveiled various initiatives to attract global talent, notably the Top Talent Pass Scheme and the expanded Talent List.
Showcasing the artworks of 15 artists from the Hong Kong Art School and RMIT community, the “Closer Together” exhibition is being held at RMIT Gallery until 12 August.
More information here.
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Harbour Chill Carnival (Hong Kong)
For five weekends from 8 July, the large-scale summer carnival will bring you a series of live music shows on a water stage, street performances from around the world, thrilling X-Games performances, and the Waterfront Pyrotechnic Edition of “A Symphony of Lights” at Wan Chai’s harbourfront. Admission is free!
More details here. |
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Madame Song: Pioneering Art and Fashion in China (Hong Kong)
From 29 July, M+ Museum will stage a special exhibition that brings to light the fascinating multiple identities and professional pursuits of Song Huai-Kuei, widely known during her lifetime as Madame Song. It will chronicle her life and practice from the 1950s to the early 2000s and unveil Song’s thus-far overlooked and underestimated influence on China’s transformation into the cosmopolitan and culturally diverse society it is today.
More details here. |
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YONEX-SUNRISE Hong Kong Open Badminton Championships 2023 (Hong Kong)
To be held from 12 to 17 September, the YONEX-SUNRISE Hong Kong Open Badminton Championships is part of the HSBC BWF World Tour Super 500. World-class players will compete in Hong Kong for a total prize money of over three million Hong Kong Dollars.
More details here. |
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