Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Wu Fenghua, a two-time recipient of the China Theatre Plum Blossom Award, along with fellow Plum Blossom Award winners Wu Suying and Chen Fei, will lead outstanding performers from the Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe of Shaoxing to Hong Kong in July. They will present three Yue opera classics “The Peacock Flies Southeast”, “The Aloeswood Fan” and “Mu Guiying Takes Command” for the Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) 2025, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD). Blending literary grace and martial splendour, the performances are a must-see for opera enthusiasts. This programme is also part of the 13th Chinese Opera Festival (COF). 

     Yue opera, also known as Shaoxing opera, originated in Shengzhou in Shaoxing city of Zhejiang Province, where the ancient kingdom Yue was located. It is mainly characterised by the Banqiang style (accompanied by small drum and wood clappers) and various schools of vocal styles. Over the years, each school has nurtured many renowned Yue opera performing artists such as Fan Ruijuan (Fan school), Fu Quanxiang (Fu school) and Lu Ruiying (Lu school), whose artistic accomplishments are widely recognised. 

     Details of the performances are as follows:

“The Peacock Flies Southeast”
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Date and time: July 18 (Friday), 7.30pm

     “The Peacock Flies Southeast”, dubbed the “Chinese Romeo and Juliet”, recounts the poignant tragedy of Jiao Zhongqing and Liu Lanzhi, who are forced to be separated and ultimately choose to die for love. This masterpiece stands as one of the signature works of Yue opera legends Fan Ruijuan and Fu Quanxiang. This performance stars Wu Fenghua of the Fan school and Chen Fei of the Fu school, perfectly embodying the Fan school’s profound simplicity and the Fu school’s unique graceful vivacity. The classic aria “The Lonely Chamber after That Person is Gone” poetically blends ancient verse with operatic lyrics, accompanied by the interplay of gongs, drums and strings, expressing the lovers’ yearning and resignation. 

“The Aloeswood Fan”
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Date and time: July 19 (Saturday), 7.30pm 

     “The Aloeswood Fan” is a romantic and witty play, starring Wu Fenghua and Wu Suying of the Lu School. The story depicts a cross-class love affair between Xu Wenxiu, a talented scholar from a humble background, and Cai Lanying, a daughter of a minister’s family. One of the most beloved scenes, “At the Study”, features a delightfully comedic interaction between the quick-witted Cai and the simple, honest Xu. With its melodious and graceful vocal artistry, the play showcases the distinctive artistic appeal of Yue opera. 

“Mu Guiying Takes Command”
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Date and time: July 20 (Sunday), 7.30pm 

     “Mu Guiying Takes Command” stands as a signature work of the Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe of Shaoxing that consists of both civil and martial elements. It has remained popular for over 30 years and is deeply beloved by opera fans. The production tells the household legend of Mu Guiying and Yang Zongbao’s martial contest for marriage and her heroic breaking of the Heavenly Gate Formation, fusing Yue opera’s lyrical elegance with martial grandeur. Chen Fei’s portrayal of Mu Guiying masterfully balances strength and grace, with passionate and soaring vocals that fully capture the heroine’s indomitable spirit. Wu Fenghua, playing the young general Yang Zongbao, demonstrates her solid martial arts skills through her performance in a changkao wusheng (military male in full armour) role. 

     The Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe of Shaoxing was established in 1986. Its productions, including “Li Huiniang”, “How a Dead Cat was Substituted for a New-born Prince”, “Qu Yuan” and others, have received numerous awards such as the Repertory Award at the China Theatre Festival, the Gold Award at China Yue Opera Arts Festival and the China Xiqu Society Award. The troupe is active in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai and other regions, and has performed in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore. 

     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 $220, $320, $420 and $520 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. Group booking discounts and package booking discounts are available for purchasing selected CCF stage programmes, the “Chinese Opera Film Shows” of the COF 2025 and the “Legacy and Vision: Conversations with Chinese Cultural Masters” lecture. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.ccf.gov.hk/en/programme/the-peacock-flies-southeast-chinese-version-of-romeo-and-juliet.

     A meet-the-artists session entitled “Timeless Appeal: The Legacy and Evolution of Yue Opera” (in Putonghua and Cantonese) will be held at 7.30pm on July 17 (Thursday) at AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The speakers include Wu Fenghua, Wu Suying, Chen Fei and Yu Weiping, while Chinese opera researcher Chan Chun-miu will be the moderator. Admission is free and online registration is required (www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_1839.html#tab_13_0). If the quotas for online registration are full, those who are interested may wait at the venue’s entrance for a standby quota 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 national identity and cultural confidence. It also aims to attract top-notch artists and arts groups from the Mainland and other parts of the world for exchanges in Chinese arts and culture. The CCF 2025 is held from June to September. Through different performing arts programmes in various forms and related extension activities, including selected programmes of the COF, “Tan Dun WE-Festival”, film screenings, exhibitions, as well as community and school activities and more, the festival provides members of the public and visitors with more opportunities to enjoy distinctive programmes that showcase fine traditional Chinese culture, thereby facilitating patriotic education and contributing to the inheritance, transformation and development of traditional Chinese culture in Hong Kong. For more information about programmes and activities of the CCF 2025, please visit www.ccf.gov.hk.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, today (June 24) led a delegation comprising representatives from Hong Kong’s legal and financial sectors to Guangzhou for a luncheon to exchange views with senior executives of Guangdong enterprises, promoting greater contributions by Hong Kong professional services to Mainland enterprises in going global.
 
     The exchange session, hosted by the Department of Justice (DoJ), the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, and Invest Hong Kong, and co-organised by the Guangdong Chamber of International Commerce, attracted representatives from more than 40 enterprises to attend.

     The delegation consisted of representatives from the Law Society of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Bar Association, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), the banking sector and the Advisory Group of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Lawyers. During the session, members of the delegation delivered thematic presentations on various practical topics, including the unique advantages of Hong Kong as an international legal hub and financing platform, common legal issues in foreign-related financing, and protection of intellectual property rights in going global. They also had an in-depth discussion with representatives of Mainland enterprises.
 
     Dr Cheung said that it was the first time for the DoJ to adopt a cross-professional approach by bringing together representatives from Hong Kong’s financial sector, the HKEX, and the legal profession to introduce Hong Kong’s unique advantages in connecting the Mainland and the world to Mainland entrepreneurs from multiple professional perspectives, thereby enhancing enterprises’ understanding of Hong Kong’s position as the best gateway for global expansion.
 
     He also pointed out that enterprises, without full knowledge of local laws, market rules or the cultural differences, might face legal disputes or even significant losses when going overseas. Members of the delegation, therefore, focused on several important issues that enterprises should pay attention to before entering overseas markets. They also shared with enterprises the experience of others, highlighting that “going overseas blindly” would only bring failure. In fact, enterprises need quality foreign-related professional services to assist them in opening up a “safe route” for going global successfully, and Hong Kong’s international professional services are positioned as key partners to enterprises expanding into overseas markets.
 
     After the session, Dr Cheung brought legal profession members of the delegation to hold a discussion with the Guangdong Lawyers Association, exchanging views on how lawyers from both places could effectively assist enterprises in addressing practical legal issues arising from going global. Dr Cheung returned to Hong Kong on the same day.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

​To celebrate with members of the public the 28th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) will hold the Electoral Information Centre (EIC) Open Day on July 1 (Tuesday).

The Open Day will offer a wide range of programmes. Apart from talks on electoral information, a number of interactive games have been set up in the EIC, namely “Say ‘No’ to Corrupted Flies” on clean elections; “Electors’ Intersection” on voter registration; “Constructing an Election” on different stages of an election; and the game “One-day Counting Assistant” on a mock counting process, with a view to deepening public knowledge of the electoral system of the HKSAR through diverse activities. Visitors can also take photos with the Ballot Box Family mascots at the EIC and have a chance to win souvenirs.

     The EIC will be open for individual visits from 2pm to 6pm on the Open Day. The visits will be free of charge and on a first-come, first-served basis until the quota is full. Members of the public who are interested may call the REO’s hotline at 2891 1001 during office hours from 8.45am to 6pm to make an appointment from today (June 24) until June 30. For group visits, the REO has earlier issued invitations to non-governmental organisations and institutions, and the quota is full.

     The EIC is located at 7/F, Treasury Building, 3 Tonkin Street West, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon. For details regarding the Open Day, please visit the EIC webpage (www.reo.gov.hk/en/service-desk/ecenter/2025openday.html) or call the hotline at 2891 1001.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Buildings Department approved 10 building plans in April, with four on Hong Kong Island, two in Kowloon and four in the New Territories.
 
     Of the approved plans, six were for apartment and apartment/commercial developments, one was for commercial development, and three were for community services developments.
 
     In the same month, consent was given for works to start on five building projects which, when completed, will provide 8 916 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use involving 171 units, and 3 203 sq m of gross floor area for non-domestic use. The department has received notification of commencement of superstructure works for five building projects.
 
     The department also issued 14 occupation permits, with five on Hong Kong Island, seven in Kowloon and two in the New Territories.
 
     Of the buildings certified for occupation, the gross floor area for domestic use was 59 869 sq m involving 1 610 units, and 11 308 sq m was for non-domestic use.
 
     The declared cost of new buildings completed in April totalled about $4.3 billion.
 
     In addition, two demolition consents were issued.
 
     The department received 3 187 reports about unauthorised building works (UBWs) in April and issued 464 removal orders on UBWs.
 
     The full version of the Monthly Digest for April can be viewed on the Buildings Department’s homepage (www.bd.gov.hk).

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

(To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)

CPC Central Committee Hong Kong & Macao Work Office Director and State Council Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office Director Xia Baolong affirms the work of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (SAR) and encourages it to develop the economy and improve people’s livelihood.

Chief Executive John Lee made the remarks while speaking to reporters prior to attending this morning’s Executive Council meeting.

Mr Xia recently visited Hong Kong and attended the 5th Anniversary of Promulgation & Implementation of Hong Kong National Security Law Forum during his trip.

Mr Lee said: “He encouraged me and the SAR Government to continue our efforts in safeguarding national security while balancing well its relation with development.”

“Director Xia also encouraged us to capitalise on the current stable situation to build strong development, build the economy and improve people’s livelihood,” he added.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region