Month: October 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present “Adaptations of Literature from Shanghai – An Extended Run”, a programme jointly curated with the Shanghai Film Museum and Shanghai Film Archive. Four films adapted from literature and produced by the Shanghai Film Studio will be screened at the HKFA Cinema on November 15 and 16 for audiences to appreciate interpretations of literary classics in Shanghai films from different perspectives.
 
     “Ashima” (1964) (4K restored version) is China’s first major musical filmed in colour and is presented in a widescreen format with stereo sound. The programme will screen the latest 4K version of the restoration that was jointly carried out in 2025 by the Shanghai Film Technology Plant, a subsidiary of the Shanghai Film Group, and the L’Immagine Ritrovata film restoration laboratory in Italy. With extensive research and fieldwork, the film was adapted from a long narrative poem of the same title by the Sani people, part of the Yi ethnic group in Yunnan, into a tragic love story of resistance against oppression, featuring dazzling sequences of ethnic song and dance that were filmed in Yunnan with meticulous music, art and costumes directions.
 
     “The Herdsman” (1982) (4K restored version), directed by veteran director Xie Jin, is an adaptation of “Soul and Flesh”, by renowned author Zhang Xianliang. Through its expressive film language and cinematography, the film delicately portrays the emotional journey of an intellectual sent to the northwestern grasslands, revealing a heartfelt and selfless love for family and country.
 
     “Forever Young” (1983) (2K restored version) is based on an early novel by contemporary writer Wang Meng. Set in the early 1950s, it focuses on the school life of a group of graduating female students in a Beijing high school. Director Huang Shuqin offers a sensitive female perspective in her depiction of the joys and sorrows of young women growing up amidst the transition between the old and the new.
 
     “Conservatory Garden Very Deeply” (Part One & Part Two) (1989), directed by Shi Shujun, is an adaptation of popular writer Chiung Yao’s eponymous novel. Interweaving the past and present, the narrative of the film explores how young people break free from the constraints of traditional moral codes to pursue individuality and romantic freedom.
 
     All screenings will be accompanied by post-screening talks hosted by Dr Timmy Chen, Dr Lo Wai-luk, Eric Tsang and Joyce Yang.
 
     Tickets priced at $60 will be available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk) from October 17 (Friday). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. A 20 per cent discount is available for every purchase of regular-priced tickets of two or more screenings of this programme. For programme enquiries, please visit the website of the HKFA at (www.filmarchive.gov.hk/en/web/hkfa/2025/sh/pe-event-2025-sh.html) or call 2739 2139.

 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Hong Kong Customs on September 11 seized about 3 700 suspected counterfeit goods and about 70 000 suspected illicit cigarettes with a total estimated market value of about $1.7 million at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Hong Kong Port.
 
     Through risk assessment, Customs on that day intercepted an incoming lorry at the HZMB Hong Kong Port. After inspection, Customs officers found the batch of suspected counterfeit goods, including watches, accessories, mobile phones and handbags, and the batch of suspected illicit cigarettes inside the cargo compartment of the lorry. A 62-year-old male driver was subsequently arrested.

     An initial investigation revealed that the batch of suspected counterfeit goods and suspected illicit cigarettes would have been transhipped to overseas regions.
 
     The investigation is ongoing and the arrested man has been released on bail pending further investigation.
 
     Customs will continue to take stringent enforcement action against counterfeit goods and smuggling activities through risk assessment and intelligence analysis.
 
     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who imports or exports any goods to which a forged trademark is applied commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
 
     Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction.
 
     Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) supported Hong Kong artisans in participating in the Designblok International Design Festival held in Prague, Czechia from October 8 to 12 (Prague time).
 
Designblok is a prominent design and fashion exhibition in Central and Eastern Europe. With the support of HKETO Berlin, at a dedicated session titled “Hong Kong and Czech Design: Opportunities for Collaboration” on October 10, Crafts on Peel gave a presentation on its artisan works that revive and incorporate traditional craftsmanship into innovative contemporary design.

The Deputy Director of HKETO Berlin, Mr Billy Leung, attended the sharing session on October 10 and supported the presentation of Hong Kong artisans and designers at the festival.

“Our talents are committed to presenting a selection of East-meets-West Hong Kong culture in their creations at Designblok. Visitors can learn more from them about the creativity and vibrant culture of Hong Kong. HKETO Berlin will continue to facilitate our talents in showcasing the excellence of their works to the international community to foster cross-cultural exchange,” said Mr Leung.

About HKETO Berlin

HKETO Berlin is the official representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Germany as well as Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia and Switzerland. 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (October 13) the results of the Monthly Survey on Business Situation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) for September 2025.
 
The current diffusion index (DI) on business receipts amongst SMEs increased from 42.3 in August 2025 in the contractionary zone to 43.8 in September 2025, whereas the one-month’s ahead (i.e. October 2025) outlook DI on business receipts was 47.2. Analysed by sector, the current DIs on business receipts, despite below the 50-mark, rose in September 2025 as compared with previous month for all surveyed sectors, particularly for the real estate (from 43.9 to 47.1), retail trade (from 41.1 to 42.8) and logistics (from 40.5 to 42.2).

The current DI on new orders for the import and export trades increased from 44.2 in August 2025 to 46.5 in September 2025, whereas the outlook DI on new orders in one month’s time (i.e. October 2025) was 47.3.
 
Commentary
 
A Government spokesman said that business sentiment among SMEs and their outlook in one month’s time both showed further improvements in September. The overall employment situation was stable.
 
Looking ahead, the resilient local economy, together with sustained growth in other economies in Asia, in particular the Mainland, will provide support to business sentiment in Hong Kong, notwithstanding the ongoing uncertainties in the external environment. The Government will monitor the situation closely.
 
Further information

The Monthly Survey on Business Situation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises aims to provide a quick reference, with minimum time lag, for assessing the short-term business situation faced by SMEs. SMEs covered in this survey refer to companies with fewer than 50 persons engaged. Respondents were asked to exclude seasonal fluctuations in reporting their views. Based on the views collected from the survey, a set of diffusion indices (including current and outlook diffusion indices) is compiled. A reading above 50 indicates that the business condition is generally favourable, whereas that below 50 indicates otherwise. As for statistics on the business prospects of prominent companies in Hong Kong, users may refer to the publication entitled “Report on Quarterly Business Tendency Survey” released by the C&SD.
 
The results of the survey should be interpreted with care. The survey solicits feedback from a panel sample of about 600 SMEs each month and the survey findings are thus subject to sample size constraint. Views collected from the survey refer only to those of respondents on their own companies rather than those on the respective sectors they are engaged in. Besides, in this type of opinion survey on expected business situation, the views collected in the survey are affected by the events in the community occurring around the time of enumeration, and it is difficult to establish precisely the extent to which respondents’ perception of the business situation accords with the underlying trends. For this survey, main bulk of the data were collected around the last week of the reference month.
 
More detailed statistics are given in the “Report on Monthly Survey on the Business Situation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises”. Users can browse and download the publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1080015&scode=300).

Users who have enquiries about the survey results may contact Industrial Production Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7246; email: sme-survey@censtatd.gov.hk).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Hong Kong Cybersecurity Attack and Defence Drill 2025, spearheaded by the Digital Policy Office (DPO) in collaboration with the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force, Cyberport, the Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation and the Hong Kong Institute of Information Technology, concluded last night (October 12).

     To conduct a thorough and in-depth evaluation of the defence capabilities of participating government departments and public organisations by inspecting their Internet-facing information systems and identifying security vulnerabilities, the drill employed practical combat scenarios. The drill also aimed to prepare the cybersecurity readiness capabilities for the upcoming 15th National Games and the Legislative Council General Election, which will be held in November and December this year respectively.

     Following the success of the first Hong Kong Cybersecurity Attack and Defence Drill organised by the DPO last year, the overall scale of the drill this year was significantly expanded to cover more public services. A total of 34 government departments and public organisations participated as defenders (Blue Teams), while the number of Red Teams acting as attackers increased to 15. They comprised experienced Hong Kong and Mainland cybersecurity professional practitioners, higher education institutions and three leading attacking teams recommended by the Cyberspace Administration of Guangdong Province, fully reflecting the collaboration and exchanges in cybersecurity between Guangdong and Hong Kong.  

     The Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, witnessed the successful conclusion of this year’s Hong Kong Cybersecurity Attack and Defence Drill at the event’s venue last night (October 12), alongside representatives from the co-organisers. He expressed gratitude to all co-organisers, the Red and Blue Teams, referees and support staff, and encouraged all parties to continue joining forces to strengthen Hong Kong’s cybersecurity defence capability.  

     The drill, which was launched on October 10 and spanned three days for a total of 60 hours, was conducted in a controlled manner. The Red Teams, acting as attackers, launched simulated cyberattacks in a strictly controlled environment on designated information systems and electronic service platforms of participating government departments and public organisations which are already in operation to identify potential security risks and vulnerabilities. Meanwhile, the Blue Teams tried their best to fend off these attacks in daily system operation scenarios. All participating systems and services remained in normal operation during the drill. Reports of the drill will be provided to the relevant participating government departments or public organisations for reference and follow ups. 

     In addition, over 250 representatives from more than 60 government departments and organisations took part in the drill on-site as observers to monitor the operation and progress of the exercise and learn more about the latest trends in cybersecurity threats. The Deputy Commissioner (Digital Infrastructure), Mr Daniel Cheung, also visited the drill venue and communicated with the Red Teams, referees, and support staff to understand the progress of the drill.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of the Department of Health (DH) today (October 13) launched the five-day Annual Training Programme on Tobacco Control 2025, to assist tobacco control personnel from countries and regions within the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region to develop appropriate and comprehensive tobacco control strategies in accordance with WHO recommendations.

In April 2012, the DH was designated by the WHO to establish the Collaborating Centre for Smoking Cessation and Treatment of Tobacco Dependence in Hong Kong, China, to serve as a regional hub that supports smoking cessation training for other member states/regions within the Western Pacific Region. The Training Programme is structured according to the WHO’s tobacco control measures, covering legislation, law enforcement, publicity and advocacy, as well as the development and evaluation of smoking cessation services, etc. It equips participants with the knowledge necessary to control the tobacco epidemic through comprehensive strategies and to plan tobacco control measures in a more forward-looking manner.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Head of TACO, Dr Manny Lam, said, “This year, 40 participants from the Chinese Mainland, the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), Malaysia, Vietnam and Tonga participated in the online programme. Since the establishment of the Collaborating Centre for Smoking Cessation and Treatment of Tobacco Dependence in the Hong Kong SAR, over 300 tobacco control personnel from government agencies and non-governmental organisations in the Western Pacific Region have participated in the Training Programme organised by the DH. Their positive feedback has enabled us to continuously refine and enrich the programme.”

The Technical Lead for Tobacco-Free Initiatives at the WHO’s Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Ms Mina Kashiwabara, also attended today’s opening ceremony and delivered remarks.

     The DH has invited a number of overseas and local experts to share their valuable experience in tobacco control. TACO staff also briefed the participants on Hong Kong’s regulation and enforcement of new smoking products, smoking cessation services and smoking cessation support for healthcare workers.
 
     In addition to the Training Programme, TACO also provides comprehensive smoking cessation training courses for healthcare professionals in Hong Kong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area every year to enhance their capabilities in providing counselling and treatment for tobacco dependence. Furthermore, TACO also organises annual training courses on Chinese medicine acupuncture to help frontline Chinese medicine practitioners further improve their knowledge and skills in smoking cessation.

     The Hong Kong SAR Government has introduced various tobacco control measures, including strengthening smoking cessation services. The DH will continue to actively promote smoking cessation services and provide continued support in cessation training and assistance. Members of the public can call 1833 183 or visit the smoking cessation thematic website for more information on quitting and the available support tools and services.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, will depart tomorrow morning (October 14) for the United States. He will visit New York from October 14 to 16, and be in Washington on October 16 and 17 to attend the 2025 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a member of the Chinese delegation.

The Annual Meetings bring together officials and representatives from around the world in the fields of finance, monetary policy and economics, central bank delegates, business and non-governmental organisation leaders as well as academics, to deliberate on a broad range of globally significant issues. Topics to be discussed at the Annual Meetings include the current state and outlook of the global economy, finance, international trade, global supply chains, climate change and digital transformation.

During the Annual Meetings, Mr Chan will meet with representatives from the IMF and WBG, government officials from various countries, as well as key figures from the financial and economic sectors.

While visiting New York and Washington, Mr Chan will also meet with major local chambers of commerce, financial institutions, think tanks, and more. These meetings will serve as a platform for exchanging views on the current international financial and trade landscape, and for updating them on Hong Kong’s latest developments and competitive advantages.

Upon completion of the visit, Mr Chan will depart on the evening of October 17 (local time) and arrive in Hong Kong on the morning of October 19. During his absence, the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, will be the Acting Financial Secretary.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (October 13) that the facilities of Sai Kung District in the list below will be temporarily closed to facilitate the organisation of the 15th National Games Track Cycling Competition. Details are set out below:
 

Venue	Closure Period	Remarks
Hong Kong Velodrome Park (Cycling Area)	October 30 to November 18	Except for the temporary closure of Cycling Area, all other facilities in the Park will open as usual.
Hong Kong Velodrome and Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground	October 30 to November 11 and November 18 to 20	All facilities (including the service counter and SmartPLAY Self-service Stations) of the venue will be temporarily closed. The coffee shop, carpark, pro shop and bike kiosk will open as usual.
	November 12 to 17	All facilities of the venues will be temporarily closed.

     During the above periods, members of the public may consider using other leisure facilities in the same district.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     A spokesperson for Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) said today (October 13) that HKTE visited London, the United Kingdom (UK), from October 8 to 12 to promote Hong Kong as an international hub for high-calibre talent.

     The Deputy Secretary for Labour and Welfare (Manpower), Mr Andrew Tsang, led a HKTE delegation to London, together with professionals from engineering, finance and accounting sectors in Hong Kong. They engaged with representatives from four universities in the world’s top 100, namely Imperial College London, King’s College London, the London School of Economics and Political Science and the University of Oxford. Three events were organised at the respective universities to promote Hong Kong’s advantages and opportunities, introduce various talent attraction measures, and feature professionals sharing insights on industry development, with a view to attracting local talent to Hong Kong. In addition, HKTE, together with MTR Corporation Limited and Cathay Pacific Airways Limited, participated in two university career fairs to recruit talent for pursuing development in Hong Kong.

     The HKTE delegation set off today for cities in central UK to continue promotional activities and organise events at the world’s top 100 universities in Warwick, Leeds and Sheffield. The delegation will also participate in university career fairs to promote development opportunities in Hong Kong.

     In addition, HKTE will visit Switzerland in late October, together with representatives from five hospitality groups under the Hong Kong Hotels Association and from the Hong Kong Jockey Club to participate in recruitment events organised by renowned hospitality management schools and work together with enterprises to promote Hong Kong’s opportunities and attract talent.

     A spokesperson for HKTE said, “In the future, we will continue to run promotions in key regions worldwide to attract international talent to relocate to Hong Kong. We are also actively preparing for the Global Talent Summit Week to be held in March next year, highlighting Hong Kong’s advantages as an international talent hub and the country’s gateway for talent.”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD)’s “Hong Kong Artists” Series will stage a vocal recital by soprano Viola Cheung in November. Accompanied by pianist Leona Cheung, the soprano will showcase her extended vocal range and resonant timbre through a selection of classical opera arias and contemporary music pieces, guiding audiences into a musical world interwoven with romance, fairy-tale enchantment, poetic subtlety and whimsical fantasy. 

In this concert, Viola Cheung will not only perform beloved lieder, including Schubert’s “So lasst mich scheinen, bis ich werde” and Berg’s “Sieben frühe Lieder”, but will also present a selection of songs inspired by fairy tales. Among these are three opera arias: “Ah! Douce Enfant” from Massenet’s “Cendrillon”, which marks the entrance of the Fairy Godmother; “It’s my Wedding” from Dove’s “The Enchanted Pig”, where Adelaide, the witch’s daughter, finds herself arranged to marry a prince who has been cursed into a pig; and “Wo ich bin” from Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel”, sung by Gretel just before the siblings discover the enchanted gingerbread house. 

     The performance will also encompass several art songs by female composers: Vieu’s “La Belle au bois dormant” is a “sung waltz” depicting the fairy-tale Sleeping Beauty awakened by the Prince’s melody, while Bonis’ “Trois Melodies” and Lehmann’s “Five Little Love Songs” capture different facets and sentiments of love. A selection of songs in French will also add exotic flavours to the programme, such as Debussy’s “Rondel Chinois” and Ravel’s “Cinq Mélodies Populaires Grecques”. The evening will conclude with the coloratura aria “Doll Song”  from Offenbach’s opera “Tales of Hoffmann” – sung by the mechanical doll Olympia, the poet Hoffmann’s first love – adding a final touch of operatic fantasy that brings the concert to a captivating close.  

     Viola Cheung was awarded the scholarship of Best Student in Concentrated Studies by Hong Kong Baptist University and elected as one of the “Young Music Makers” by Radio Television Hong Kong in 2015. She continued her music studies in the Netherlands and obtained Master’s Degrees from both the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague and the Codarts Rotterdam. She has been invited to perform different roles in operas around the world in recent years after her successful debut as Königin der Nacht in Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” in 2017, and has featured in more than 30 premieres of new compositions.

     The “Hong Kong Artists” Series: Vocal Recital by Viola Cheung will be staged at 8pm on November 13 (Thursday) at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $200 and $240 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. The “Hong Kong Artists” Series 2025 to be held in November and December also includes the Duo Recital by Aristo Sham (Piano) and Angela Chan (Violin) on November 3 and the Guzheng Recital by Grammy Yeung on December 1. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1843.html.

     The “Hong Kong Artists” Series of the LCSD aims to provide a platform for local artists to showcase their remarkable talents. In addition to individual performances, it also encourages cross-genre works to highlight their unique styles. This year’s series introduces 12 distinguished musicians in seven stunning programmes, featuring violin, piano, cello, guzheng and vocal arts. Among them, a cross-genre performance of music and painting was staged to showcase Hong Kong’s unique cultural character, embracing diversity and innovation. For more information, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/groups_1823.html.