HONG KONG CONNECT


	The Secretary for Education visits Australia The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, visited Sydney, Perth and Melbourne in Australia on 3 - 9 March. During her trip in Australia, Dr Choi attended the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) 2024 Conference and Exhibition in Perth on 6 March and exchanged views with international higher education leaders on the theme of “Collaborating for sustainable impact: partnerships across the Asia Pacific”. In her speech at the “Study in Hong Kong” seminar, Dr Choi promoted to overseas partners the advantages of Hong Kong as an international post-secondary education hub. Dr Choi also met Hong Kong students studying in Sydney to learn about their studies in Australia; paid a courtesy call on the Acting Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Sydney, Mr Wang Chunsheng; met the Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education of New South Wales, Mr Steve Whan, the Minister for Training and Workforce Development; Water; Industrial Relations of Western Australia, Ms Simone McGurk, and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education; Aboriginal Affairs; Citizenship and Multicultural Interests of Western Australia, Mr Yaz Mubarakai; visited the University of Sydney and the University of Western Australia; addressed the Chinese New Year reception hosted by HKETO in Perth; and met representatives of the business community in Melbourne during her trip in Australia. More details on APAIE here. More details on SED’s visit here.

	OASES welcomes new batch of strategic enterprises to establish or expand their businesses in Hong Kong The Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) held the OASES Partnership Signing Ceremony on 20 March and welcomed a new batch of strategic enterprises to set up or expand their businesses in Hong Kong. Witnessed by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Mr John Lee, and the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, 25 strategic enterprises signed agreements to become strategic enterprise partners of the HKSAR Government. In addition to investing in Hong Kong, they will actively bring in upstream, midstream and downstream partners from their industry chains to the city, thereby promoting a more vibrant development of the innovation and technology sector. More details here. Speech by the Chief Executive here. Speech by the Financial Secretary here.

	Financial Mega Event Week showcases Hong Kong’s glamour The Financial Mega Event Week was held in the last week of March, with a series of top-tier international conferences and exhibitions taking place in Hong Kong. These included the highly acclaimed Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit exclusively for family offices; the inaugural One Earth Summit organised by the Institute of Sustainability and Technology and co-organised by the Giving to Amplify Earth Action, a World Economic Forum initiative, on global climate and the green economy; and the Global Investors’ Symposium organised by the Milken Institute, the first large-scale summit held in Hong Kong by the Institute since 1998. In addition to the aforementioned large-scale international summits, several international mega events are being staged from 22 March to 7 April, covering areas such as popular culture, sports and art, attracting people from different sectors around the world to gather in Hong Kong. These efforts create enormous business opportunities from the mega event economy and showcase the city’s glamour and vitality to the world. More details here.

	Hong Kong maintains fourth place in Global Financial Centres Index Hong Kong maintained the fourth place globally in the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI) 35 Report published on 21 March by the Z/Yen from the United Kingdom and the China Development Institute from Shenzhen. In response to the report, a Government spokesman said that under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong enjoys the unique advantages of being backed by the motherland and connected to the world. Hong Kong has been striving to align with the national development strategies and serve as an important node in the domestic and international dual circulation of the country through proactively integrating into the national development of the reform and opening up of the financial market, while maintaining the internationalised nature of our market and playing the role as the gateway between the Mainland and the world. More details here.

	Safeguarding National Security Ordinance takes effect The Chief Executive of the HKSAR, Mr John Lee, signed on 22 March, in accordance with Article 48(3) of the Basic Law, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance passed by the Legislative Council. The Ordinance took effect on 23 March. Mr Lee said that the Ordinance ensures the effective protection of national security. It signifies that the HKSAR has fulfilled its constitutional responsibility as stipulated in Article 23 of the Basic Law to enact local legislation to safeguard national security, and accomplished a historic mission, living up to the trust placed in us by the Central Authorities and the country. He added that the completion of the legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law is essential to the implementation of the principle of “one country, two systems”, ensuring the effective protection of national security of “one country” and the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR under “two systems”. More details here.


	Common Recruitment Examination and Basic Law and National Security Law Test The coming Common Recruitment Examination and the Basic Law and National Security Law Test (Degree / Professional Grades) is tentatively scheduled to be held in Hong Kong on 1 June, or another date within June if necessary. The application period is from 23 March to 5 April. For more details, please visit the Civil Service Bureau’s webpage.


	Reception held in Adelaide to celebrate Chinese New Year HKETO hosted a reception in Adelaide on 5 March to celebrate Chinese New Year. Addressing the reception, the Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, said that the bilateral trade, economic and investment ties between Hong Kong and South Australia continue to flourish. Miss Lim introduced the 2024-25 Budget, highlighting the measures aimed at bolstering confidence and establishing Hong Kong as a premier destination for business and tourism. She added that Hong Kong thrives on its cultural blend of East and West and its connectivity to the world. It is the only place in the world where the global advantage and the China advantage come together in a single economy.

	Reception held in Perth to celebrate Chinese New Year HKETO hosted a reception in Perth on 7 March to celebrate Chinese New Year. Addressing the reception, the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, said that Hong Kong has sound education infrastructure, outstanding research talent, as well as diverse basic education. Building on this solid foundation, Hong Kong will continue to seize the opportunities brought about by the National 14th Five-Year Plan and the development of the Greater Bay Area, and build on unique status and advantages under “one country, two systems” to nurture and attract talent. She added that the Government is striving to develop Hong Kong into an international post-secondary education hub, highlighting the measures to attract more overseas and Mainland students to further education in Hong Kong. The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, introduced the latest initiatives announced in the 2024-25 Budget at the reception, noting that the Budget places a strong focus on green development and the digital economy, with various initiatives on green finance, green shipping and aviation, as well as measures to guide industries towards high-quality development.

	Director of HKETO Sydney attended the Chinese New Year Networking Function organised by the Victoria Chapter of the Hong Kong Australia Business Association The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, attended the Chinese New Year Networking Function organised by the Victoria Chapter of the Hong Kong Australia Business Association on 13 March. Miss Lim shared with the participants the latest 2024-25 Budget, highlighting a series of measures aimed at bolstering confidence and establishing Hong Kong as a premier destination for business and tourism. Miss Lim also introduced the Government’s initiatives of attracting enterprises, investment and talent, noting that 10-plus strategic enterprises will sign a partnership agreement with OASES this month, which, together with the 30 companies from the first batch, are expected to bring about over HK$40 billion in investment to Hong Kong, creating about 13 000 jobs over the next few years.

	Methodist College visits Hong Kong House HKETO received the delegation of Overseas Leadership Training Programme 2024 organised by Methodist College at Hong Kong House on 26 March. The Deputy Director of HKETO Sydney, Mr Timothy Chau, gave the students an introduction on the work of HKETO, including the upcoming events and its work on investment promotion and talent attraction. Mr Chau said that HKETO aims to promote Hong Kong in Australia and New Zealand and develop collaborative relationships between Hong Kong and the two countries on various fronts. The students also had a tour in Hong Kong House.



	*Hong Kong Sevens (Hong Kong)* One of the most popular sporting events in Asia, the Hong Kong Sevens (HK7s), is set to take place from 5 to 7 April at the iconic Hong Kong Stadium. This year, in addition to the 12 men’s and 12 women’s international teams, the tournament will also feature the Melrose Shield competitions. In the men’s competition, China, Japan, and the host team, Hong Kong China, will participate, while in the women’s competition, China, Thailand, and Hong Kong China will compete. Another highlight is the HK7s party and music performances where various local and overseas performers will be present. Sports fans and music lovers should not miss it! More details here.

	*Hong Kong 2024 International Urban Forestry Conference (Hong Kong and online)* To be held from 10 to 12 April, the Hong Kong 2024 International Urban Forestry Conference is organised by the Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government. With the theme of “Green Metropolis – The Crucial Role of Urban Forests for a Sustainable Future”, the Conference will offer a valuable platform for international experts, leaders and practitioners to exchange views on this global topic. This year the Conference is honoured to have Professor Stephen Livesley from the University of Melbourne and Dr Lyndal Plant, Chair of Treenet (Australia) as speakers. Admission is free and no registration is required for online attendees. Registration and live-broadcasting website here

	*Digital Economy Summit 2024 (Hong Kong)* To be held from 12 to 13 April, the Digital Economy Summit 2024 will delve into the transformative power of smart cities, exploring how cutting-edge technologies and innovative applications are reshaping the urban landscape and modern digital economy through the lenses of sustainability, connectivity, and resilience. Through discussing the future disruption of various smart city pillars around the world, the event serves as a platform for thought leaders, industry experts, and policymakers to collaborate, share insights, and co-create a future where cities thrive as dynamic, liveable, and forward-thinking hubs of innovation. More details here.

	*InnoEx 2024 (Hong Kong and online)* To be held from 13 to 16 April, InnoEx 2024 is a premier business platform for next-gen smart solutions, cutting-edge technologies and disruptive innovations. It is also the go-to place for regional and cross-sector collaborations with a special focus on Asia. InnoEX brings together influential tech experts, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and investors from the region to discuss collaborations, share upcoming trends and exchange insights into future opportunities. More details here.

	*Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2024 (Hong Kong)* From now to 31 July, the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2024 recognises the importance of legendary writers on the 100^th anniversary of the birth of Jin Yong and the 20^th anniversary of the passing of James Wong. The festival has adopted the theme of “Arts & Action”, offering a journey through time to explore Hong Kong’s pop culture from new perspectives and discover the origins and future of culture through inheritance and transformation. It will feature a blend of dynamism and relaxation, Eastern and Western styles, and the old and new, epitomising the diversity characteristic of Hong Kong’s pop culture, which encompasses both “Arts” (creative works) and “Action” (martial arts). More details here.

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