Category: MIL-OSI

Speech by CS at “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Prosperity and Magnificence – Civilisation of the Sui and Tang Dynasties in Shaanxi Province” exhibition (English only)Issued at HKT 15:21

     Following is the speech by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, at “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Prosperity and Magnificence – Civilisation of the Sui and Tang Dynasties in Shaanxi Province” exhibition today (July 14):

Deputy Commissioner Li (Deputy Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Li Yongsheng), Gary (Chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), Mr Gary Chan), Holden (Vice-Chairman of the DAB and Chairman of the Liaison Committee of the DAB, Mr Holden Chow), Consuls-General, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good afternoon. It gives me great pleasure to join you today at the Hong Kong Museum of History, and to welcome you to this exclusive session of “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Prosperity and Magnificence – Civilisation of the Sui and Tang Dynasties in Shaanxi Province” exhibition.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) and the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong for making this meaningful event possible.

Hong Kong is deeply rooted in Chinese history and culture. At the same time, we are also strongly connected to the world. This gives us a clear and distinct national mission – to serve as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange – a national mandate set out in both the 14th and 15th Five-Year Plans.

This important role calls on us to foster cross-cultural dialogue and tell China’s stories in a true, clear and easy-to-understand way across borders.

To deepen public understanding of Chinese civilisation, we launched the flagship “General History of China Series” in 2024. The first two exhibitions – focusing on the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, and then the Qin and Han periods – attracted more than 420 000 visitors, including more than 15 000 students and teachers from nearly 400 schools.

This year, we turn to one of the golden eras of Chinese civilisation. After years of change, the Sui dynasty reunified the Chinese nation, built the Grand Canal, and reopened the Silk Road. The Tang dynasty then revitalised education and culture, expanded its influence, and opened a remarkable age of cross-cultural exchange. At the heart of this exchange, Chang’an became a vibrant capital renowned throughout the world.

Today’s Hong Kong shares a defining characteristic with Chang’an in its time: we are open and inclusive, and we serve as a bridge between cultures. We bring diverse traditions together and we welcome global exchange.

As you explore this exhibition, I hope you will gain a deeper appreciation of the richness of Chinese culture. More importantly, I hope this shared experience opens new opportunities for mutual understanding and friendship among our nations.

Finally, I wish you all an inspiring and enjoyable visit. Thank you.

Speech by SITI at Blooming with AI: Summer Talent Fest 2026 and Kick-off Ceremony for “AI for All” Inclusive Programme (English only)

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the Blooming with AI: Summer Talent Fest 2026 and Kick-off Ceremony for “AI for All” Inclusive Programme today (July 14):

Cordelia (Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, Ms Cordelia Chung), Terry (Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, Mr Terry Wong), distinguished guests and our young talents from all over the world,

Good morning. It is my great pleasure to join all of you today at the Blooming with AI: Summer Talent Fest 2026 and Kick-off Ceremony of the “AI for All” Inclusive Programme. A special welcome to Cordelia, our new Chairman of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP). I am confident that under your leadership, the HKSTP will grow from strength to strength and scale new heights in advancing Hong Kong’s innovation and technology (I&T) development.

I am truly thrilled to see this room buzzing with university students, rising young professionals and visionary innovators. Your incredible energy, boundless creativity and bold ambition are the engine that will propel Hong Kong into its next chapter as a global I&T powerhouse.

AI is no longer a futuristic dream – it is our current reality, rewriting how we live, work and conquer global challenges. As AI evolves at breakneck speed, our top priority must be nurturing fresh talent and arming the next generation with the cutting-edge skills and opportunities to lead this revolution.

That is precisely why I am delighted to launch the HKSTP’s “AI for All” Inclusive Programme today, an important initiative announced in the 2026-27 Budget. Through AI masterclasses and hands-on training, this programme equips you with rock-solid foundations and helps transform sparks of inspiration into real-world impact. Most importantly, we are bridging the gap between learning and earning by connecting you directly with industry giants through targeted career fairs, giving you direct insight into what top-tier companies are looking for and how you prepare yourselves to meet those expectations.

This mission perfectly reflects the Government’s overarching “AI for All” strategy to spark AI literacy across every corner of our society, and aligns closely with the national AI+ Initiative. We remain fully committed to backing initiatives that champion new talent, ignite collaboration and supercharge AI adoption across all sectors.

To our young trailblazers here today: seize this moment. Stay relentlessly curious, dare to dream, and view every setback as a setup for a comeback. Remember, the true future of AI is not just about the code – it is about the creators. Each of you holds the blueprint to shape that future.

Once again, my heartfelt congratulations to the HKSTP on launching the Summer Talent Fest 2026 and the “AI for All” Inclusive Programme. I wish every participant an extraordinary, inspiring, and transformative journey ahead.

Thank you very much.

Civic Education Exhibition to be held at Hong Kong Book Fair 
     Members of the public are invited to visit the Civic Education Exhibition to be held at the Hong Kong Book Fair 2026 (Booth 3B-B34, Children’s Paradise). The Exhibition will be open from tomorrow (July 15) to July 21 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
 
     The Exhibition is jointly organised by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and the Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education (CPCE). Apart from featuring materials on civic and national education, and introducing the CPCE’s work projects, the Exhibition will also promote civic and national education to the public in a lively and educational way through game booths and a photo corner.
 
     The organisers will hold a ceremony for the Exhibition at 11am on Friday (July 17) at the stage in the Children’s Paradise with lion dance, Latin dance and singing performances.
 
     The CPCE is a non-statutory advisory body. It advises the Government on the promotion of civic education outside schools, launches various publicity and educational programmes in the community, and provides sponsorships to eligible organisations for actively promoting civic and national education.
 
     For details, please call 2708 2455 or visit the CPCE’s websiteIssued at HKT 11:00

Analytical Accounts of Exchange Fund      
     Foreign assets, representing the external assets of the Exchange Fund, decreased during the month by HK$1.0 billion to HK$3,680.7 billion.
      
     The Monetary Base, comprising Certificates of Indebtedness, Government-issued currency notes and coins in circulation, the balance of the banking system and Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued, amounted to HK$2,075.0 billion.
      
     Claims on the private sector in Hong Kong amounted to HK$409.8 billion.
      
     Foreign liabilities amounted to HK$126.4 billion.
      
     The analytical accounts of the Exchange Fund are released in accordance with the International Monetary Fund’s Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) and are referred to as the Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank under SDDS (Annex).
 
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     At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund’s data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with the International Monetary Fund’s SDDS. The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund’s Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA’s policy of maintaining a high level of transparency. For the month of July 2026, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows: