HONG KONG CONNECT


	Hong Kong continues to rank among top of world’s freest economies In the Economic Freedom of the World 2023 Annual Report (2023 Report) published by the Fraser Institute, Hong Kong continues to rank among the top, second globally. Among the five areas of assessment in the 2023 Report, Hong Kong continued to rank top in “Freedom to trade internationally”, and third globally in “Regulation”. A spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government said that Hong Kong is one of the most liberal and easiest places to do business in the world, being home to almost 9 000 Mainland and overseas companies. Hong Kong remains the only place in the world where the global advantage and the China advantage come together in a single economy. Under “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong enjoys the country’s staunch and robust support and stays closely connected to the world. More details here.

	Hong Kong continues to rank among top in Global Innovation Index The Global Innovation Index (GII) 2023 published by the World Intellectual Property Organization ranked the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou science and technology cluster second globally for four consecutive years. Hong Kong’s ranking remains fifth in Asia, and is 17^th globally among 132 economies. As regards the two sub-indices under the GII, Hong Kong continued to perform well in the “Innovation Input” sub-index, at eighth globally. Its ranking in the “Innovation Output” sub-index improved to 24^th. A spokesman for the HKSAR Government said that the National 14^th Five-Year Plan indicates clear support for Hong Kong’s development into an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre. To chart Hong Kong in moving towards that vision, the HKSAR Government promulgated the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint last year to establish a clear development path and formulate systematic strategic planning for Hong Kong’s I&T development over the next five to 10 years. The HKSAR Government also proactively attracts strategic enterprises to set foot in Hong Kong with a view to accelerating and boosting the vibrant development of the I&T ecology. More details here.

	Celebration of 10^th anniversary of Belt and Road Initiative The eighth Belt and Road Summit opened on 13 September and attracted nearly 6 000 representatives from Belt and Road related countries and regions, including government officials from more than 10 countries and prominent international business leaders, over 100 delegations, as well as over 35 state-owned enterprises from the Mainland, a record high over past editions. With the theme “Prospering on a Decade of Collaboration”, the Summit this year especially commemorates the 10^th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (B&RI). Through the Summit, the HKSAR Government seeks to highlight Hong Kong’s role as the functional platform for the B&RI, and to assist enterprises and professional services in exploring business opportunities, in particular those arising from emerging markets such as the Middle East and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) markets. More details here.

	“Night Vibes Hong Kong” Campaign launched The HKSAR Government announced on 14 September the commencement of the “Night Vibes Hong Kong” activities. Different sectors of the community play their part in staging a wealth of diversified night-time events with local characteristics all over the city starting from mid-September, covering entertainment, arts, culture, consumption and more to create a dynamic vibe for citizens and tourists to feel the vibrancy and energy of Hong Kong’s nightlife. A wealth of exciting activities will be held during the coming festivals, including the return of the National Day Fireworks Display; the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance; Halloween events to be presented by Ocean Park Hong Kong and Hong Kong Disneyland; the Hong Kong WinterFest in the West Kowloon Cultural District; the New Year’s Eve countdown event; Lunar New Year Fairs; and the Hong Kong Chinese New Year Night Parade. The Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival will also make its physical return to the Central Harbourfront Event Space in November. More details here. Night Vibes Hong Kong website here.



	2023/24 Hong Kong Civil Service Joint Recruitment The HKSAR Government has launched the joint recruitment exercise of the following six grades: Administrative Officer, Executive Officer II, Assistant Labour Officer II, Assistant Trade Officer II, Management Services Officer II and Transport Officer II. The deadline for submitting application is 5pm on 6 October (Hong Kong time). Don't miss the chance! More details here.

	Common Recruitment Examination and Basic Law and National Security Law Test in Sydney For the convenience of those studying or residing outside Hong Kong, this round of the Common Recruitment Examination and Basic Law and National Security Law Test (Degree / Professional Grades) is tentatively scheduled to be held on 2 December in eight cities outside Hong Kong including Sydney. The application period is from 23 September to 6 October 2023. For more details, please visit the Civil Service Bureau webpage.

	Administrative Service Winter Internship Programme 2023 Hong Kong students studying at any tertiary institution in Australia and New Zealand are welcome to apply for the Administrative Service Winter Internship Programme 2023 in Hong Kong. The programme is a full-time work with an employment period of about eight weeks from late November 2023 to late January 2024. Students participating in the Programme will be assigned duties similar in nature to those of Administrative Officers in different government bureaux or departments in Hong Kong. Application should be submitted by 11 October (Hong Kong time). Find out more about the programme, application and assessment process on the webpages below: Civil Service Bureau webpage Administrative Officer Recruitment webpage

	Radio Television Hong Kong Recruitment Radio Television Hong Kong is currently recruiting Senior Programme Officer in Chinese News / Chinese Radio Programmes / Television and New Media Programmes / Media Management and Senior Programme Officer in English News / English Radio Programmes (civil service post). Apply now if you are interested in radio, television or new media production. Application should be submitted by 6 October. More details can be found here.


	Career Talk 2023 The Deputy Director of HKETO Sydney, Mr Henry Mak, met with the Hong Kong Student Association of Macquarie University on 29 September to give an overview of Hong Kong’s job market and the career opportunities in the Hong Kong civil service, particularly on the Administrative Officer Grade and the latest recruitment exercise. Mr Mak also introduced the initiatives of the Government for attracting talents to Hong Kong. HKETO will organise more career talks and recruitment events in October to share with students in Australia and New Zealand the unlimited opportunities in Hong Kong.

	Director of HKETO Sydney attended the Networking and Market Insights Sharing Event The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, attended the Networking and Market Insights Sharing Event organised by the New South Wales Chapter of the Hong Kong Australia Business Association (HKABA) on 27 September. Miss Lim said that HKETO has facilitated many delegations from Hong Kong to visit Australia, as well as brought in delegations from Down Under to Hong Kong for various exhibitions and events, signifying the long-awaited return of normal travel and tourism and the importance of connecting with one another. Noting the strong air connectivity between Hong Kong and Australia, Miss Lim invited the participants to join the upcoming exciting events in Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong Fintech Week, the StartmeupHK Festival, the Entrepreneur Day, as well as the “Night Vibes Hong Kong” activities.

	Director of HKETO Sydney attended “Pioneering Smart Cities of Tomorrow with AI and innovation” Business Seminar HKETO jointly organised the “Pioneering Smart Cities of Tomorrow with AI and innovation” business seminar with Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the Hong Kong Trade and Development Council (HKTDC) and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) on 26 September. Professor Hong Kam Lo, Dean of Engineering and Chair Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of HKUST shared at the seminar his insights on the immense possibilities of AI in driving the development of green and transformative cities. The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, said that the Government has made unprecedented strides to promote I&T development and the number of start-ups in Hong Kong has increased to about 4 000 with over 10 unicorns. On AI development front, Miss Lim added that the Government is putting in efforts in ensuring adequate computing infrastructure to forge ahead with AI development and will conduct a feasibility study on the development of an AI Supercomputing Centre in Hong Kong, which aims to provide cutting-edge computing power and capability to local universities and research institutes, government departments and industry sectors, and be a strong impetus to the AI ecosystem.

	Director of HKETO Sydney attended the 21^st Anniversary Celebration Dinner of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Australia) Association The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, attended the 21^st Anniversary Celebration Dinner of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Australia) Association on 26 September. Miss Lim welcomed the President and Vice-President of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Professor Jin-Guang Teng and Professor Christopher Chao, to meet with the PolyU alumni in Sydney. She said that HKETO has maintained a very close relationship with the Association as it is an integral part of the Hong Kong and Chinese community in Sydney, commending its support in promoting and joining HKETO’s events. Miss Lim also introduced the “Night Vibes Hong Kong” campaign and encouraged the PolyU alumni to visit Hong Kong and join the signature events, including the National Day Fireworks Display, the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, the Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival, the Hong Kong WinterFest, the New Year Countdown Celebrations, and the Chinese New Year Night Parade.

	Director of HKETO Sydney virtually attended the “Developments of Bilateral Trade between Hong Kong and Australia” Networking Event The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, virtually attended the “Developments of Bilateral Trade between Hong Kong and Australia” Networking Event organised by the Western Australia Chapter of the HKABA on 21 September. Highlighting the strong trade and investment ties between Hong Kong and Australia, Miss Lim said that there are plentiful opportunities for Australian businesses to explore in Hong Kong in areas of I&T, fintech, green and sustainability, and life and health science. She added that Hong Kong is actively pursuing early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and has launched a wide array of initiatives to attract enterprises, investment and talents.

	Director of HKETO Sydney visited Global Entrepreneurship Congress and hosted roundtable luncheon for the delegation of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) led a delegation of fast-rising startups and business leaders to join the Global Entrepreneurship Congress 2023 in Melbourne. The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, visited the HKSTP pavilion in the Congress on 20 September to exchange with the delegation their experiences of setting up businesses in Hong Kong and exploring the Australian market. HKETO also co-hosted a roundtable luncheon with InvestHK and HKTDC for the HKSTP delegation on 21 September. Addressing representatives of 20 technology companies based in Melbourne at the luncheon, Miss Lim introduced the work of the Government in the I&T space, highlighting the key strategies of the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint to chart Hong Kong in moving full steam towards the vision of an international I&T centre. She said that the Government is putting prime focus on the development of industries of strategic importance, including life and health technology, AI and data science, advanced manufacturing and new energy technology. Stressing the unlimited potential in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and the Mainland, Miss Lim invited the participants to visit Hong Kong to reap the business opportunities.

	Director of HKETO Sydney attended the Business Networking Dinner organised by the Victoria Chapter of the HKABA The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, attended the Business Networking Dinner organised by the Victoria Chapter of the HKABA on 20 September. Miss Lim said that Hong Kong has returned to the centre stage in the global arena, welcoming over 20 million visitors in the first eight months of the year. She highlighted the huge success of the Belt and Road Summit with a record-breaking number of 6 000 participants and over 100 delegations, including a delegation from Australia and New Zealand. On business front, Miss Lim shared the overwhelming response to the Top Talent Pass Scheme and various upgraded talent schemes, as well as the work of the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES). She also introduced the recently launched “Night Vibes Hong Kong” campaign and invited the participants to visit Hong Kong to enjoy the vibrancy of Hong Kong’s famous night life.

	Director of HKETO Sydney virtually attended the Hello Hong Kong Travel and Tourism Seminar The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, virtually attended the Hello Hong Kong Travel and Tourism Seminar organised by the Hong Kong New Zealand Business Association on 20 September. Miss Lim said that Hong Kong welcomed over 20 million visitors in the first eight months of the year, with over 4 million visitors in August alone. Miss Lim introduced the newly-launched “Night Vibes Hong Kong” Campaign and a wealth of diversified activities in the coming months for tourists to feel the vibrancy of the city’s famous night life, highlighting some signature events including the National Day Fireworks Display, the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, the Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival and the Hong Kong WinterFest.

	Acting Director of HKETO Sydney attended TVB Anywhere Moon Festival 2023 The Acting Director of HKETO Sydney, Mr Henry Mak, attended the TVB Anywhere Moon Festival 2023 on 9 September. Mr Mak sent his festive greetings to participants and encouraged them to visit Hong Kong for reunions and celebrations. With Hong Kong’s seamless connections to the Mainland and the world resumed, Mr Mak shared that tourism has returned in no time and Hong Kong continues to be one of the best destinations for both business and leisure travellers with all the offerings in the city. Mr Mak added that HKETO will continue to accord high priority in promoting people-to-people connections as well as arts and cultural exchange between Hong Kong and Australia.

	Director of HKETO Sydney attended the Green Finance and ESG Roundtable Luncheon The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, attended the Green Finance and ESG Roundtable Luncheon co-hosted by InvestHK and MinsterEllison on 1 September. Miss Lim said that Hong Kong is the ideal destination for business with strong fundamentals including a simple and low tax system, an internationally aligned regulatory regime, extensive connectivity and a digitised economy. She also shared with the participants an array of initiatives to attract talents and enterprises, particularly the work of OASES to attract companies from industries of strategic importance such as life and health technology, AI and fintech to Hong Kong. The Head of Financial Services and Fintech of InvestHK, Mr King Leung, shared at the Roundtable the latest developments in green finance and green technology, as well as the boundless opportunities in Hong Kong.



	*Chocolate Rain’s artistic journey to Sydney (Sydney)* Internationally renowned Hong Kong artist Prudence Mak, creator of Chocolate Rain, is embarking on a captivating artistic journey in Sydney this October and November. She will collaborate with another renowned Hong Kong artist Kwok Man Ho (Frog King) for the first time in the exhibition “The Artistic Fusion @Broadway” to be held from 16 to 22 October at Broadway Shopping Centre, featuring over 50 artworks and 3D creations. Prudence Mak will also join The Other Art Fair from 12 to 15 October and her individual exhibition, Casa Blu, will be held from 25 October to 7 November. More details on The Artistic Fusion @Broadway here.

	*Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival (Hong Kong)* The highly anticipated Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival will make its grand return to the Central Harbourfront from 26 to 29 October. Set against the breathtaking Victoria Harbour skyline, the four-day event offers a sensational outdoor wine and dine experience. Wineries and brewers from around the world will bring you a vibrant selection of liquor assortments, while local culinary masters serve up their delectable creations and signature dishes. More details here.

	*Hong Kong FinTech Week 2023 (Hong Kong and Online)* To be held from 30 October to 5 November, Hong Kong FinTech Week 2023 is one of the most influential and largest fintech events in Asia, bringing together top industry leaders, regulators, investors, and entrepreneurs from around the world to discuss the latest trends and innovations in financial technology. Organised by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and InvestHK; and co-organised by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Insurance Authority, and Securities and Futures Commission, the event features a range of activities including exhibitions, keynotes and panel discussions, workshops, networking sessions and business matchmaking, thus providing an unparalleled platform for participants to connect, share insights, and explore new business opportunities. More details here.

	*StartmeupHK Festival 2023 (Hong Kong)* The annual StartmeupHK Festival is a unique platform for start-ups, investors, industry leaders, tech enthusiasts and government officials to exchange ideas, make connections and chart a course for the future. Guided by the theme “A Future Unlimited”, the 2023 edition is set to return from 8 to 17 November, featuring a series of main events with discussions on hot topics such as Web3, HealthTech, PropTech and sustainability, alongside pitching competitions, business-matching sessions and many more. More details here.

	*Hong Kong Streetathon 2023 (Hong Kong)* To be held on 17 December, Hong Kong Streetathon includes the first round-harbour full marathon, cross-harbour half marathon, and brand-new 10 km route; plus, the Youth 10 km, Runners Expo, Runners Party, etc. This year will be the first Streetathon to collaborate with many other non-governmental organisations to promote seven Sustainable Development Goals from the United Nations. Participants will experience the most meaningful and party-felt marathon ever! More details here.

	*Digital Art Fair 2023 (Hong Kong)* To be held from 22 to 23 October, the Digital Art Fair 2023 is a leading event that showcases cutting-edge digital art installations and NFT projects to celebrate the fusion of art and technology. The fair features a specially curated AI Art Zone and immersive room created by the “Digital Artist of the year”. Get ready to engage with interactive installations, dive into virtual reality realms, and experience mind-blowing visuals that challenge traditional artistic boundaries. More details here.

Updates on Latest Situation in Hong Kong