Month: June 2026

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Financial Secretary today Paul Chan began a visit to Dalian by attending various events at the World Economic Forum’s “Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2026”, also known as the Summer Davos forum.

These events included the High-Level Dialogue on China Megacities, where he held discussions with leaders of Mainland cities, business representatives and international business leaders, on the role of China’s megacities and regions in the country’s new round of high-level opening up, and how to promote cross-border co-operation and the collaborative development of industrial chains.

In a speech, Mr Chan stated that competition among cities in the future will revolve around innovation and technology (I&T), requiring them to strengthen collaborative development and complementary advantages through city clusters.

He said that Hong Kong, building on its status as an international financial and trade centre, is promoting I&T as one of the main engines of its economic development. This includes accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis, strengthening collaboration with other cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and combining scientific research outcomes and advanced manufacturing to promote the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation.

He also highlighted that Hong Kong is committed to attracting high-end talent, and that since the enhancement of talent admission schemes at the end of 2022, around 300,000 people have come to Hong Kong to develop their careers, injecting significant momentum into the city’s development.

In the morning, Mr Chan met World Economic Forum President and Chief Executive Officer Alois Zwinggi. He also held meetings with Beijing Vice Mayor Sun Shuo and Shanghai Vice Mayor Lu Shan to discuss strengthening exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong and those two Mainland cities.

Additionally, Mr Chan attended an “Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders” lunch.

In the afternoon, Mr Chan led members of the Hong Kong delegation to visit the Dalian High-Tech Industrial Zone and held a roundtable meeting with representatives of I&T enterprises from both places.

He highlighted that Dalian and Hong Kong are highly aligned and mutually complementary in their innovation and technology development paths. He said that Hong Kong is not only a “super connector” and “super value-adder” but can also act as an “adapter” for Mainland enterprises entering the international market, helping them to align with international best standards.

Mr Chan stressed that he hopes the two places will strengthen co-operation and establish exchange mechanisms to jointly seize opportunities brought by the new round of innovation and technology development.

The Financial Secretary and the delegation attended a dinner hosted by Standing Committee member and Head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Dalian Municipal Committee Xu Guangxiang.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is the speech by the Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Mr Kevin Choi, at Greenway 2026 – Driving Sustainability Through Innovation today (June 23):

Your Excellency Ambassador Harvey Rouse (Ambassador and Head of Office of the European Union to Hong Kong), Mr Johannes Hack (Chair of the German Chamber of Commerce), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good afternoon. It is an honour to join you today at this prestigious forum, a platform dedicated to exploring the profound synergy between innovation and technology (I&T) and our collective journey toward carbon neutrality. To our friends and partners from abroad, I extend the warmest and most sincere welcome to Hong Kong. Your presence here underscores a shared global truth: the challenge of climate change has no borders.

When we talk about decarbonisation, it is easy to relate the discussion to the realm of environmental policy or regulatory compliance. In fact, true sustainability requires us to look much deeper. Decarbonisation, at its core, involves a fundamental I&T transformation. It demands that we reinvent how we live our lives.

Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to lead this charge, driven by the strategic blueprint of the National 15th Five-Year Plan. Our country is unlocking new quality productive forces and advancing future industries, with green technology standing out as a core pillar of growth. To spearhead this vision, our country, through the 15th Five-Year Plan, reaffirms unwavering support for Hong Kong’s development into an international I&T centre. In doing so, it positions our city not just as a regional participant, but as a critical launch pad for the sustainable technologies of tomorrow.

Our ability to fulfil this role hinges on a solid foundation. Under the unique “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong stands as the only city in the world that seamlessly integrates the China advantage with a distinct global advantage. We serve as the “super connector” between the Chinese Mainland’s massive, unparalleled green production ecosystem and the international green technology community. This identity makes Hong Kong the ideal global hub for fostering cross-border innovation and collaboration in the green technology sector.

We are determined and exceptionally well-positioned to carve out a unique niche in green I&T transformation. Our competitive edge begins with talent. Hong Kong is the only city in the world having five universities consistently ranked among the world’s top 100. This dense concentration of academic excellence has cultivated an open, vibrant, and world-class research ecosystem. The HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) Government remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting our scientists and researchers as they develop and deploy breakthrough green technologies. By leveraging our core strengths in upstream research and development, we are actively solving the pressing, real-world challenges of climate change and urban sustainability.

To ensure our brilliant minds have the resources they need, the Government provides comprehensive and structured support. Our Innovation and Technology Fund consistently backs impactful research projects, creating a resilient pipeline that moves discoveries from university labs to the commercial market. To date, the Fund has supported over 160 research and development (R&D) projects on green technology by providing over 53 million euros to drive these initiatives forward.

Furthermore, we recognise that the bridge between academic discovery and commercial viability requires intensive support. We have channeled substantial resources into our academic community, including the Research, Academic, and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme (the RAISe+ Scheme) launched in 2023. With a total of HK$10 billion or over 1 billion euros, the RAISe+ Scheme is specifically designed to help university teams realise and commercialise their R&D outcomes. This structured financial backing supported pioneering work led by our local institutions, which are tackling sustainability issues head-on.

For example, researchers at the City University of Hong Kong have achieved a major breakthrough by developing next-generation passive radiative cooling technologies. This zero-carbon cooling innovation, actively supported under the aforementioned RAISe+ Scheme, mitigates harsh urban heat island effects and drastically reduces building energy consumption. These achievements underscore the Government’s strategic commitment to leveraging cutting-edge R&D as the primary engine to mitigate urban greenhouse gas emissions.

Building on our R&D momentum, our capabilities move beyond traditional services to fostering high-tech, low-carbon manufacturing. Our New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme, launched in 2024, provides robust funding support of up to HK$200 million or 22 million euros for strategic enterprises. This targeted financial empowerment allows industries in advanced manufacturing and new energy technologies to set up pilot production lines right here in Hong Kong.

For instance, Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) and Hithium, which both specialise in energy storage batteries and systems, have respectively established an international R&D centre and been building a smart production line for high-safety and high-capacity energy storage batteries in Hong Kong. These collaborations prove that Hong Kong provides the perfect, high-standard testing ground for international firms to develop, validate, and manufacture cutting-edge climate technologies.

Beyond our industrial and manufacturing capabilities, we are proud of our thriving I&T parks that nurture the next generation of green entrepreneurs. The Hong Kong Science Park provides comprehensive and unwavering support to start-ups, including those engaged in green technology. Through dynamic incubation programmes, the Science Park empowers emerging enterprises with the essential tools they need to scale. We provide not just technical support, but also business guidance and financial assistance. These targeted programmes have helped numerous start-ups realise their ambitions, transforming raw R&D outcomes into viable, commercialised products.

A cornerstone of this commitment is the GreenTech Hub, established in 2025. Today, this hub houses nearly 200 green enterprises and 1 600 professionals from around the world. We know that technology is only as good as the people who create it, and the GreenTech Hub serves as a vibrant nexus for deep professional exchange. Within the past year alone, the hub has hosted over 360 business-matching sessions and 100 green-themed events. This thriving network connects start-ups and established firms with critical mentorship, corporate collaboration, and a global network of financiers, establishing a premier platform to test and scale cutting-edge climate technologies.

To date, our three I&T parks, namely the Science Park, the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Loop or Hetao area, and Cyberport, altogether have already housed over 300 green start-ups specialising in energy-efficient materials, carbon capture, electric vehicle infrastructure, and much more. In particular, the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HSITPL), which I also serve as its Chairman, is our flagship cross-boundary innovation engine. Under its “one-zone, two-park” framework, the park is designed to enable the seamless “four flows”, namely people, capital, goods (including bio-samples), and data, between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. This means green enterprises can move talent freely, access cross-border funding, transport specialised R&D equipment without customs bottlenecks, and exchange critical environmental and AI datasets in a secure, compliant manner. By unblocking these four essential arteries, HSITPL transforms the Hetao area into a true innovation corridor, where Hong Kong’s global connectivity and Shenzhen’s vast application scenarios converge to accelerate climate-tech solutions from concept to commercial reality.

Ladies and gentlemen, Hong Kong may be small in landmass, but our technology and environmental ambitions are vast. With robust government backing, world-class talent, and deep synergy, we are not just witnessing the global green transition, we are actively helping engineer its future.

This future relies heavily on international collaboration, and we recognise European enterprises as vital, leading partners in this journey. I invite all of you to partner with us, leverage our thriving ecosystem, and work alongside us to transform visionary green research into impactful market realities. I wish this forum every success, and I hope you all enjoy a highly rewarding, productive, and transformative exchange of ideas.

Thank you very much.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, at Greenway 2026 – Driving Sustainability Through Innovation today (June 23):

Harvey (Ambassador and Head of Office of the European Union to Hong Kong and Macao, Mr Harvey Rouse), Johannes (Chair of the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Mr Johannes Hack), ladies and gentlemen,

Good afternoon. It is my great pleasure to join you all today for the fifth edition of The Green Way.

The Green Way is more than a theme; it is a shared journey. It is our commitment to leave behind a legacy of clean skies, verdant landscapes, and sustainable opportunity for generations to come. It is also a statement of hope – that our world can thrive without compromise, fuelled by green innovation, collaboration, and purpose.

Here in Hong Kong, we stand ready to lead the charge for a greener future. We have set the target of a 50 per cent reduction in carbon emissions before 2035 and carbon neutrality before 2050. The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address also underscored sustainability as a cornerstone of Hong Kong’s future development. These are ambitious goals, and finance is the engine that powers this transformation.

Last month, I was in Central Asia attending the Asian Development Bank’s Annual Meeting in Uzbekistan. During the meeting, member economies discussed not only how to reshape global value chains amid a complex and rapidly changing landscape, but also – and this was a recurring theme – how to use finance to support green and sustainable development. This includes funding renewable energy infrastructure and channelling long-term capital into transition projects. Many nations are facing the dual challenge of economic transformation and climate resilience. Hong Kong’s answer lies in being the “super connector” and “super value-adder” – channelling global capital to where it is needed most for green projects.

Hong Kong is now the world’s largest cross-border wealth management centre. We are also the global largest offshore Renminbi (RMB) business hub. This unique combination means we do not just talk about mobilising capital; we have the institutional infrastructure and deep liquidity pools – both in RMB and other major currencies – to direct significant funds towards credible green and transition projects across Asia and beyond.

The statistics speak volumes. Hong Kong has been the top arranger of green and sustainable bonds in Asia for eight consecutive years since 2018.

Last year alone, the total volume of green and sustainable debt issued or arranged in Hong Kong exceeded US$76 billion. Of this, bonds arranged in Hong Kong amounted to approximately US$38 billion, accounting for 40 per cent of the regional total. Just last month, the Ministry of Finance issued its first-ever RMB green sovereign bonds in Hong Kong – a strong vote of confidence in our platform.

We are not just doing traditional bonds. Innovation is key. Since 2019, we have issued approximately HK$258 billion equivalent of government green bonds. In November 2025, Hong Kong issued the world’s first digital green bonds that integrated tokenised central bank money – settling in both e-CNY and e-HKD. This is a practical application of fintech to enhance transparency and efficiency in green capital markets.

A robust market also requires trust. To combat greenwashing and guide capital efficiently, we need high-quality, comparable data.

Hong Kong has set the target to fully adopt the sustainability disclosure standards of the International Financial Reporting Standards (ISSB Standards). The International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation has confirmed Hong Kong as one of the first jurisdictions targeting full adoption of the ISSB Standards.

Our Roadmap on Sustainability Disclosure, published in late 2024, provides a clear pathway for large publicly accountable entities to fully adopt the ISSB Standards no later than 2028. This ensures that when you invest in Hong Kong, you are investing with confidence in reliable, decision-useful information.

We are also building a robust classification framework for defining environmentally sustainable activities to drive capital flows towards credible projects. In January this year, we published Phase 2A of the Hong Kong Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance after extensive consultation. The coverage is expanded from four sectors (energy, transportation, construction and waste) to six sectors with the addition of two new sectors – manufacturing and ICT (information and communications technology). Apart from climate change mitigation, Phase 2 of the Taxonomy has a new environmental objective: climate change adaptation, so that we cater not only for activities to reduce the cause of climate change but also in the meantime, measures to minimise its impacts.

On carbon markets, Hong Kong has built the infrastructure. Our Core Climate platform is an international carbon marketplace that connects capital with verified climate projects. It offers quality voluntary carbon credits from over 60 projects verified by Verra and Gold Standard, with more than 130 registered participants. We are working closely with carbon exchanges in the Greater Bay Area to test cross-boundary carbon trade settlement. We see Core Climate as a key node for linking global demand – including from the European Union of course – with verified carbon credit projects across Asia and beyond.

The HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) Government will continue to work closely with the industry and all stakeholders to develop Hong Kong as a leading green and sustainable finance hub. We will keep building on our strengths – from our world-class green bond market and internationally aligned taxonomy, to our Core Climate platform.

We very much look forward to continued collaboration with the European Union – on transition finance, carbon markets, and channelling affordable climate finance where it is needed most. Thank you.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is the keynote speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the Australia-China Innovation Summit organised by the Australia China Business Council in Melbourne, Australia, today (June 23, Melbourne time):

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good afternoon. It is a pleasure to join you all today at the Australia-China Innovation Summit. My sincere thanks to the Australia China Business Council for bringing us together and for giving me this opportunity to share Hong Kong’s latest innovation and technology (I&T) landscape and the promising opportunities for deeper Hong Kong-Australia collaboration.

Hong Kong and Australia have long been connected through trade, investment and vibrant people-to-people ties. These links were further strengthened when the Free Trade Agreement and Investment Agreement entered into force in 2020, opening new channels for business, enhancing market access, and reinforcing our shared commitment to open, rule-based economic co-operation.

Today, a new chapter of collaboration is unfolding. Supported by the National 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong is moving full steam toward its vision of becoming an international I&T centre and a global hub for high-calibre talent.

Promoting I&T development ranks high on the agenda of the current term of the HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) Government. Our goal is clear: to inject new impetus into economic growth, develop a diversified economy, and create high-quality jobs. In 2022, we promulgated the I&T Development Blueprint, setting out clear directions and strategies for Hong Kong’s future I&T development. We adopt a clear industry policy, with priorities in several areas including life and health technology, AI and robotics, advanced manufacturing and new energy technology.

Hong Kong’s I&T strength begins with talent. We are home to five universities ranked among the world’s top 100, including two medical schools in the global top 40, and three universities ranked among the world’s top 30 in data science and AI. This academic strength provides a solid R&D (research and development) foundation to transform research breakthroughs into real-world applications.

Our flagship R&D initiative, InnoHK, exemplifies this ambition. It has built collaboration with more than 30 world-renowned universities and research institutes from 12 economies, brought over 3 000 international researchers, and set up a total of 38 laboratories. We are proud that two leading Australian institutions – the University of Melbourne and the University of Queensland – are in collaboration with one of our InnoHK R&D centres named the Microbiota I-Center, which focuses on advancing microbiome science for personalised healthcare. We look forward to more collaboration with Australia to conduct world-class and impactful collaborative research.

The HKSAR Government is also committed to promoting I&T development through strategic investments. Three HK$10 billion initiatives are introduced to drive research translation and tech industry growth. The Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme, launched in 2023, accelerates the commercialisation of outstanding university research and has already supported 73 projects. The New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme, launched in 2024, supports strategic industries in establishing smart production facilities in Hong Kong. This year, we will launch the Innovation and Technology Industry-Oriented Fund to further channel market capital into emerging and future industries of strategic importance.

We are also investing HK$3 billion, around AUD550 million, in the Frontier Technology Research Support Scheme, enabling local universities to recruit international top-notch researchers or scientists in frontier fields. To support start-ups, we launched the Pilot I&T Accelerator Scheme earlier this year to attract professional I&T accelerators from around the world to set up bases in Hong Kong. Together, these initiatives provide robust and tangible support across all stages of innovation – from talent attraction and basic research to start-up development and industry scaling.

Infrastructure is equally critical. The Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone is a powerful example. Located at the boundary between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, it enables the seamless flow of talent, capital, data and essential materials such as biological samples. Since its opening last December, more than 90 tenants from pillar industries such as life and health technology, microelectronics, new energy and AI have already established a presence there, signalling strong confidence in Hong Kong as a place where business can grow.

Hong Kong’s northern region is rapidly emerging as a powerful engine for future I&T development. The Hetao Hong Kong Park and the adjoining San Tin Technopole will form a complete pipeline from research to prototyping, pilot production and full-scale manufacturing. By 2032, the Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster will provide 180 000 PFLOPS of computing power – 36 times Hong Kong’s current capacity – creating a major cross-boundary data hub that strengthens Hong Kong’s AI development and high-performance computing. With the pilot lines in the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research and Development Institute coming into operation later this year, Hong Kong is building a comprehensive I&T corridor in the North, integrating research, computing power, prototyping, testing and manufacturing into a unified ecosystem.

This new cluster will stand among Asia’s most dynamic I&T ecosystems, connecting Hong Kong’s research excellence and institutional advantages with the vast application scenarios and market opportunities of the Chinese Mainland – especially the Greater Bay Area, home to 88 million people and a GDP exceeding AUD3.1 trillion.

Hong Kong ranks second globally overall in the latest IMD (International Institute for Management Development) World Competitiveness Ranking and fourth in digital competitiveness, reflecting a mature ecosystem where talent, capital, and policies align. Our start-up scene has surged to 5 200 companies, a growth of 40 per cent since 2021. A quarter of founders are from overseas, which is a clear sign that international entrepreneurs see Hong Kong as a place where they can scale fast, plug into global markets, and operate with confidence. Coupled with Hong Kong’s bilingual business culture, simple low-tax system, professional services and world-class infrastructure, all of these make Hong Kong a natural fit for Australian innovators looking for transparent, high-trust environments.

Ladies and gentlemen, Hong Kong and Australia share a long history of partnership and friendship. As the global economy undergoes profound transformation driven by technology, our two economies are exceptionally well placed to co-create solutions that are trusted, scalable and globally competitive. Whether in life and health sciences, AI, advanced manufacturing, or green technology, the opportunities before us are abundant and growing.

I warmly invite Australian businesses, researchers and innovators to deepen your engagement with Hong Kong – to explore our I&T ecosystem, to partner with our universities and research institutes, and to seize the opportunities emerging across the Greater Bay Area. Hong Kong stands ready to act as a “super-connector” and “super value-adder” for businesses seeking international growth.

May I wish the summit a great success. Thank you very much.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     ​Hong Kong Customs on June 12 seized large batches of suspected smuggled goods, with an estimated market value of about $16 million, at the Tuen Mun River Trade Terminal Customs Cargo Examination Compound.
 
     Through risk assessment, Customs on that day inspected a 40-foot container, declared as carrying holiday decorations, arriving in Hong Kong from the Mainland. After inspection, Customs officers found large batches of suspected smuggled goods, including 82 000 alternative smoking products, small electrical appliances, toys, plastic parts and metal accessories.
 
     An investigation is ongoing. The likelihood of arrests is not ruled out.
 
     Being a government department primarily responsible for tackling smuggling activities, Customs has long been combating various smuggling activities at the forefront. Customs will keep up its enforcement action and continue to fiercely combat smuggling activities through proactive risk management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, and carry out targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to disrupt relevant crimes.
 
     Smuggling is a serious offence. 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. Any person who imports alternative smoking products into Hong Kong also commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
 
     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling 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 Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) 2026, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), has invited four China Theatre Plum Blossom Award winners from the Hebei Bangzi Opera Theatre of Hebei Province – Wu Guiyun, Qiu Ruide, Hao Shichao and Sun Na – to visit Hong Kong this July. Joined by a cohort of talented young performers, they will present three consecutive days of classic repertoires, including “Zhong Kui the Ghosteater”, “The Magic Lotus Lantern”, and a selection of excerpts. The lineup offers a comprehensive showcase of the genre’s high-pitched vocals and civil-martial versatility with a northern spirit. This programme is also part of the 14th Chinese Opera Festival. 

     As one of the most representative regional opera genres of Hebei Province, Hebei bangzi opera – also known as Jing bangzi, Zhili bangzi and Wei bangzi – was inscribed onto the First National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2006. Its music is led by the banhu (a bowed string instrument), with wooden clappers (bangzi) marking the rhythm with bright, resonant beats during vocal performance. The vocal style is high-pitched and passionate, with male and female roles sharing the same key to deliver a heroic, highly penetrating tone. The performance style is direct and vigorous, often incorporating virtuosic acrobatic techniques to heighten the dramatic tension of the plots. 

     Details of the three performances are as follows:

“Zhong Kui the Ghosteater”
——————————–
Date and time: July 24 (Friday), 7.30pm

     “Zhong Kui the Ghosteater” is the troupe’s signature masterpiece and a defining exemplar of Hebei bangzi’s seamless mastery of both civil and martial arts. The story follows the scholar Zhong Kui, who tragically takes his own life in grief and indignation over the corruption of the imperial examinations. Appointed in the underworld as the divine catcher of demons, he returns home under the cover of night to see his sister married before departing to fulfil his divine duties. The character is portrayed by a female actor in a wusheng (martial male) role during his mortal life, capturing the poignant image of a wandering scholar. Following his death and becoming a deity, the performance integrates the expressive features of young male, martial male and painted-face roles. This transformation of role types vividly mirrors Zhong Kui’s journey from man to spirit and deity. Striking stunts such as dashuaicha (grand splits) and chaotiandeng (leg-holding extension) further showcase the performers’ mastery of stylised movements. This performance features the four Plum Blossom Award winners, making it a rare opportunity that Chinese opera fans cannot afford to miss.

“The Magic Lotus Lantern”
——————————–
Date and time: July 25 (Saturday), 7.30pm

     “The Magic Lotus Lantern” is a celebrated classic of the Hebei bangzi opera repertoire, telling the mythical story of Chenxiang axing open the mountain to rescue his mother. Revered by opera lovers for its powerful singing and thrilling combat sequences, this production has remained a favourite with audiences since its premiere in 1960. Moving beyond traditional bangzi opera rhythmic patterns, the music introduces Kunqu tunes and folk songs to infuse the score with touching and joyous melodies. The stage choreography integrates ribbon dance and fan dance into the martial movements, showcasing a continuous display of masterly skills, including the uniquely created “leg-sweeping turns during the zoubian (scouting) sequence”, as well as consecutive backflips, spinning leaps, spear kicks and sword dancing. Led by Sun Na, Hao Shichao, and Qiu Ruide, the performance perfectly balances strength and grace, fully capturing the unique artistic charm of the Hebei bangzi opera.

Excerpts
————
Date and time: July 26 (Sunday), 2.30pm

     This selection of four classic excerpts showcases the artistic essence of Hebei bangzi opera, highlighting its mastery of both civil and martial arts. On the civil side, “Crying at the City Wall” from “North and South Make Peace” features high-pitched, heartrending singing, where the actor utilises formulaic routines such as shuaifa (hair-flinging) and beard skills to vividly express the torment of being torn between loyalty and filial devotion. “On the Execution Ground” from “The Injustice Done to Dou E” relies solely on expressive, sorrowful lament and delicate facial expressions to denounce a profound injustice. The martial scenes are equally breathtaking: “The Hu Homestead”, featuring a daomadan (female warrior) role, integrates masterful acrobatic techniques like high spear kicks and spinning leaps into fierce close combat, fully displaying the heroine’s formidable spirit. “The Bloody Battle at Waqiao” from “Waqiao Pass” weaves high-difficulty techniques – including ensemble combat sequences and dazzling spear-twirling patterns – into a breathtaking display of martial choreography, recreating the heroic valour of Yang Yanzhao, the legendary Song commander, on the battlefield.

     The Hebei Bangzi Opera Theatre of Hebei Province was established in 1959, with the legendary Peking opera master Xun Huisheng – one of the “four great performers in dan roles” – as its first director. Over the years, the troupe has nurtured numerous well-known artists, as well as outstanding creative talents and performers. It has created and performed over 200 productions, and received numerous awards, with some of its representative works adapted for the big screen. The troupe has travelled to various places such as Greece, Japan, Spain, Cyprus, and Colombia for performances, receiving high acclaim from audiences.

     The three performances will be held at the Auditorium of Kwai Tsing Theatre. Lyrics and dialogue are with Chinese and English surtitles. Tickets priced at $180, $280 $380 and $480 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. The CCF 2026 offers various discount schemes, such as group booking discounts, package booking discounts and the newly introduced “Generations Together 1+1” discount. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.ccf.gov.hk/en/programme/hebei-bangzi-opera-theatre-of-hebei-province/.

     A meet-the-artists session (in Putonghua) entitled “Hebei Bangzi Opera: A Fine Mix of the Lyrical and the Vigorous in Its Civil and Martial Repertoires” will be held at 7.30pm on July 23 (Thursday) at AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The speakers include Wu Guiyun, Qiu Ruide, Hao Shichao and Sun Na, while Chinese opera researcher Hu Guangming will be the moderator. Since the spaces for online registrations of this activity are full, those interested may wait at the venue’s entrance for a standby space on the day of the session. Any unclaimed spots will be released 10 minutes after the session begins on a first-come, first-served basis.

     The CCF, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office under the LCSD, aims to promote Chinese culture and enhance the public’s sense of national identity and cultural confidence, thereby facilitating patriotic education. It also aims to attract top-notch artists and arts groups from the Chinese Mainland and other parts of the world for exchanges in Chinese arts and culture. The CCF 2026 is held from June to September. It hosts various forms of distinctive stage programmes and related extension activities, film screenings, thematic exhibitions, talks, workshops, as well as community and school activities, affording the public and visitors more opportunities to appreciate and experience the beauty of fine traditional Chinese culture. For more information, please visit www.ccf.gov.hk.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (June 23) the Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures for May 2026. According to the Composite CPI, overall consumer prices rose by 2.0% in May 2026 over the same month a year earlier, larger than the corresponding increase (1.7%) in April 2026. Netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures, the year-on-year rate of increase in the Composite CPI (i.e. the underlying inflation rate) in May 2026 was 1.9%, also larger than that in April 2026 (1.6%). The larger increase in May 2026 was mainly due to the accelerated increases in inbound and outbound transport fares and the charges for package holidays, as well as the increases in the charges for health services.

     On a seasonally adjusted basis, the average monthly rate of change in the Composite CPI for the 3-month period ending May 2026 was 0.1%, and that for the 3-month period ending April 2026 was 0.0%. Netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures, the corresponding rates of change were 0.3% and 0.1%.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Deputy Secretary for Justice and the Chairman of the Expert Committee on Professional Services for Going Global, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, will depart for Urumqi, Xinjiang, tomorrow (June 24) to attend the 9th China-Eurasia Expo on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.
 
     Dr Cheung said that Hong Kong, with its unique advantages of having the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world, is an international financial, trading, shipping, and innovation and technology centre. Xinjiang is a bridgehead for China’s westward opening-up and a core zone of the Silk Road Economic Belt, with a distinct geographical advantage of bridging East-West two-way trade flows. The Expo will help fully leverage the strengths of both places, and promote deeper exchanges and co-operation among Hong Kong and Macao, Xinjiang, and relevant countries across Asia and Europe.

     Dr Cheung will return to Hong Kong on June 25.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Transport Department (TD) today (June 23) announced that the auction of traditional vehicle registration marks (TVRMs) will be held on July 12 (Sunday) in Meeting Room S421, L4, Old Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.

     “A total of 420 TVRMs will be put up for public auction. The list of marks has been uploaded to the department’s website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/index.html,” a department spokesman said.
 
For the auction of TVRMs, only registration marks starting with “HK” or “XX” and special vehicle registration marks are put up for physical auction. Applicants should attend the auction and take note of the opening price as announced by the auctioneer before participating in the bidding of the mark.

People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following important points:

(1) Successful bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after the successful bidding:
(i) the identity document of the successful bidder;
(ii) the identity document of the purchaser if it is different from the successful bidder;
(iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation if the purchaser is a body corporate; and
(iv) a crossed cheque made payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” or “The Government of the HKSAR”. (For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed.) Successful bidders can also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS). Payment by post-dated cheques, cash or other methods will not be accepted.

(2) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted.

(3) A vehicle registration mark can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.
 
(4) The display of a vehicle registration mark on a motor vehicle should be in compliance with the requirements stipulated in Schedule 4 to the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations.

(5) Special registration marks are non-transferable. Where the ownership of a motor vehicle with a special registration mark is transferred, the allocation of the special registration mark shall be cancelled.

(6) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the registration mark to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the registration mark within 12 months, allocation of the mark will be cancelled and arranged for reallocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.

     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of Traditional Vehicle Registration Marks, which can be downloaded from the department’s website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/tvrm_auction/index.html.