Category: MIL-OSI

LCSD to launch “Multimedia Arts Lecture Series – Sound · Image · Performance: A Trilogy of Multimedia Creation for the Stage” in May 
     Details of each lecture are as follows:
 
Lecture 1: Constructing Space: The Dance Between Body and Image
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Date: May 6 (Wednesday)
Speakers: Oliver Shing (digital image designer, visual director, video director)
Content: Taking stage multimedia design as the starting point, this lecture will explore how images can actually generate space, and even become part of the choreography itself. It will also examine how relationships between movement, light and rhythm are established, and how the interaction between images and performers can be adjusted so that body and images are complementary. Through brief demonstrations and interactive segments, participants will gain insight into what makes stage images unique from the perspective of the viewer.
 
     Shing is the founder of the multimedia studio, Daaimung, and has contributed to visual and video designs for pop concerts and museums. He has curated and created architectural projection mappings for buildings such as the East Kowloon Cultural Centre, The Mills and Tai Kwun. Over the years, he has collaborated with various local performing arts groups. He is a member of the Heteroglossia Theatre.
 
Lecture 2: Technology in Theatre: Multimedia Storytelling and Emerging Trends
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Date: May 13 (Wednesday)
Speaker: Dan Fong (digital visual artist, video designer) 
Content: Drawing on the speaker’s personal creative and production experience, this lecture will engage participants in the conceptualisation and methodology behind multimedia design in theatre. It will explore how multimedia technology can serve storytelling, shape atmosphere and rhythm, drive character and emotional development, and redefine the audience’s viewpoint and level of engagement. This lecture will also discuss the potential applications and future trends of AI in theatre.
 
     Fong is currently a lecturer at the School of Theatre and Entertainment Arts at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. With extensive experience in visual and video design for theatre productions, concerts and exhibitions, he has collaborated with various local performing arts groups. In recent years, he has also served as a live digital visual designer for concerts featuring singers and bands.
 
Lecture 3: Sound as Instrument: The Evolution of Sound Art and Multimedia Creation
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Date: May 20 (Wednesday)
Speaker: Alain Chiu (composer, sound artist)
Content: Using musical composition as a starting point, this lecture will explore how musicians and composers transform sound into an artistic form. It will also review how technology has reshaped the methods of sound production over time, alongside developments in AI and other emerging tools, to examine how these advances open up possibilities of sound in multimedia creation such as installations, images and performances, while rethinking the value of human creativity, listening and live experience.
 
     Chiu’s creative practice spans traditional composition, sound installations, experimental music theatre, virtual reality and video installations. He has received commissions from numerous organisations, and his works have been performed at the Hong Kong Arts Festival, the Italy tour of Jumping Frames and the Cannes Film Festival, amongst others. He is the founder of the experimental performance collective Trilateral Lab, and currently teaches at the HKICC Lee Shau Kee School of Creativity.

     All lectures will be conducted in Cantonese and will start at 7.30pm at AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Each lecture will run for about two hours. Tickets priced at $80 (for each lecture, with free seating) are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hkIssued at HKT 11:15

LegCo Secretariat releases Research Brief on “The 2026-2027 Budget” 
     The Financial Secretary (FS) presented the fourth Budget of the current-term Government on February 25. The Legislative Council Secretariat (the Secretariat) today (April 2) released a Research Brief on “The 2026-2027 Budget”.
 
     Supported by strong stock-trading stamp duty income and bond issuance, total government revenue soared by 21.9 per cent year-on-year to HK$688.8 billion in the 2025-2026 fiscal year (see Annex ‍1). With a HK$2.9 billion surplus for the Consolidated Account, Hong Kong recorded a fiscal surplus for the first time after three consecutive years of deficits. While this arrived three years earlier than the Government projected, when excluding net bond proceeds, the underlying deficit remained at HK$100.4 billion. This equates to 3 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is still below the average (4.6 per cent) of the 37 advanced economies tracked by the International Monetary Fund.
 
     The Research Brief examined the Government’s near-term fiscal position and the reinforced fiscal consolidation programme already implemented, as well as analysing the fiscal space for expanded bond issuance. The Research Brief pointed out that total public expenditure grew 5.4 per cent to HK$844.2 billion. This is estimated to rise a further 7.2 per cent to HK$904.7 billion in this fiscal year. Driven mainly by an ageing population, health and social welfare remain the largest spending areas, with infrastructure replacing education as the third-largest (see Annex 2). Over the past five years, infrastructure expenditure has surged by over 40 per cent. As Northern Metropolis-related (NM) projects are rolled out progressively, capital works expenditure is expected to average around HK$120 billion per annum over the next five years.
 
     As part of the fiscal consolidation programme in the 2026-2027 fiscal year (see Annex 3), FS proposed transferring HK$150 billion of the Exchange Fund’s (EF) investment income to finance the development of NM and other infrastructure projects. This withdrawal, which is the first in 42 years, has drawn considerable debate. Some argue that it could undermine the EF’s capacity in preserving Hong Kong’s financial stability, and question whether such a drawdown might become a “regular practice”. Others, however, regard this proposal as an “innovative” measure that is “safer” than expanding bond issuance.
 
     Meanwhile, FS also proposed raising the bond issuance ceiling from HK$700 billion to HK$900 billion, with a greater share of longer-term bonds. The Research Brief noted that concerns over the trajectory of government debt persist, given mounting repayment pressure on the bonds issued in recent years. Net bond proceeds are projected to be compressed by 43.3 per cent between 2026-2027 and 2030-2031 fiscal years, and the gross government-debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to increase to 19.9 per cent. However, this ratio remains far below the average of advanced economies (see Annex 4), and interest expenses amount to just 1.2 per cent of government revenue. As reflected in a range of key financial indicators, Hong Kong’s fiscal position remains resilient by international standards and its creditworthiness continues to rank among the strongest of any major advanced economy.
 
     The Research Brief also suggested that as the Government moderates expenditure growth to restore fiscal balance, the recovery of the private sector will be key to sustaining economic growth momentum. To actively support and proactively align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong is formulating the first-ever Five-Year Plan, which could provide a framework for sequencing public investment commitments alongside the fiscal consolidation timetable.
 
     On long-term fiscal health, the Research Brief pointed out that population ageing, low fertility and the impact that AI will bring to the labour market could further strain public finances. Despite the pro-natalist measures introduced by the Government, registered births fell to a record low in 2025. The Research Brief compared the pro-natalist policies in Hong Kong with those in selected advanced economies in Asia and Europe, noting that effective responses require early, sustained and comprehensive intervention, rather than relying primarily on financial incentives. International experience points to facilitating workforce transition as crucial to safeguarding the tax base. As profits tax and salaries tax account for a large share of the Government’s recurrent revenue, the ability to steer workforce towards high complementarity with AI has direct implications for the tax base. The Research Brief observed that the upgrading of the Employees Retraining Board into Upskill Hong Kong with a mandate to provide skill-based training, specifically incorporating AI applications, is a timely policy response. 
 
     The Legislative Council (LegCo) will resume the Second Reading debate on the Appropriation Bill 2026 at its meeting of April 22 and Members will speak on the Bill.
 
     The Research Brief is prepared by the Secretariat’s Research Office of the Research and Information Division with a view to enhancing information support for Members. The Research Brief is now available on LegCo website: app7.legco.gov.hk/rpdb/en/uploads/2026/RB/RB01_2026_20260402_en.pdfIssued at HKT 12:58

CSTB convenes meeting to co-ordinate preparation for visitor arrivals to Hong Kong during Labour Day Golden Week of Mainland       
     The meeting was chaired by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, with representatives from government departments including the Hong Kong Police Force, the Immigration Department, Hong Kong Customs, the Transport Department, and various District Offices attending. Representatives from various tourism-related organisations, including the Travel Industry Authority, the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, major tourist attractions and the hotel industry also attended.
      
     Miss Law said, “Labour Day Golden Week is Hong Kong’s peak season for travel, and a notable increase in the number of visitors during the period is expected. Various government departments will strengthen co-ordination and communication with relevant organisations and the travel trade to make early preparations and planning with a view to providing a high-quality travel experience for visitors.”

     With the Mainland Ching Ming Festival long weekend (April 4 to 6) approaching, during which an increase in visitor arrivals is expected, Miss Law invited government departments, relevant organisations and the travel trade to also make necessary preparations to receive these visitors.
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     Relevant parties will continue to maintain close communication before the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland to plan and take forward various preparations for welcoming visitors to Hong Kong, and report in a timely manner the latest situation to the interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration.
Issued at HKT 16:36

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Application for provisional clinic licences to close on April 13      
Transitional arrangements for provisional licences
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     The DH has been accepting applications for clinic licences (including provisional licences) and letters of exemption for small practice clinics (SPCs) under the Ordinance since October 13, 2025. The DH has also launched the “e-Licensing” System      
     As a transitional arrangement under the Ordinance, clinics already in operation on or before November 30, 2018 (i.e. the gazettal date of the Ordinance), may be granted a provisional licence by the DH depending on the circumstances if their operators submit an application for a clinic licence on or before April 13, 2026. This allows the clinics to continue operations until a full licence is issued and enables operators to make necessary modifications to their clinics to comply with licensing requirements, such as modification of the accommodation layout. A provisional licence will expire on the date specified by the Secretary for Health for the expiry of provisions pertaining to provisional licences; upon issuance of a full licence to the licensee; or upon withdrawal or rejection of the full licence application.
      
     Upon the lapse of application deadline for provisional clinic licences on April 13, 2026, all clinic operators must apply for a full licence, regardless of whether the clinic qualifies for transitional arrangements.
      
Clinic operators should apply for clinic licences/letters of exemption as soon as possible; the process is convenient and efficient
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     The DH urged all clinic operators who have not yet applied for a clinic licence/letter of exemption to submit their applications through the DH’s “e-Licensing” System      
     The DH stressed that the application process for clinic licences/letters of exemption is convenient and efficient. By using the “e-Licensing” System      
     The DH will continue to proactively contact clinic operators to learn about their progress in preparing licence or exemption applications, and urge them to submit the applications as soon as possible. At the same time, the DH will maintain close liaison with licence applicants, and conduct document verifications and on-site inspections to ensure that their clinics comply with the requirements under the Ordinance and the Code of Practice, with the aim of issuing licences as soon as possible. As of March 30, 2026, the DH has received 546 clinic licence applications (including 193 provisional licence applications) and 2 712 applications for letters of exemption for SPC. The DH has issued 26 clinic licences, 19 provisional licences and over 2 600 letters of exemption.
      
     The DH will also continue to conduct online briefing sessions to explain the Ordinance and the application requirements for clinic licences/letters of exemption for various stakeholders including clinic and SPC operators as well as doctors. For details on the briefing sessions and application arrangements for clinic licences/letters of exemption, please visit the website       
Make use of “Licence Scanner” to easily identify licensed/exempted clinics
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     At present, all licensed private hospitals and licensed day procedure centres, as well as clinics holding valid licences or letters of exemption are required to display their licence/letter of exemption featuring a QR code in a conspicuous location on their premises. Members of the public may use the “Licence Scanner” on the eHealth mobile application to scan the QR code and verify the validity of the licence or letter of exemption.
      
     Members of the public may also visit the ORPHF websiteIssued at HKT 14:00

Hong Kong rises to world’s fifth-largest trading entity in merchandise trade      
     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, said today (April 2), “The WTO report fully demonstrated that despite the challenges brought about by geopolitics and trade protectionism in the past year, Hong Kong’s external trade remained resilient and achieved an encouraging result, making the city the world’s fifth-largest trading entity in merchandise trade after the Chinese Mainland, the United States, Germany and the Netherlands. If the European Union is taken as a single trading entity, Hong Kong ranks fourth.”
      
     Mr Yau noted that Hong Kong has long adopted free trade and firmly supports and has upheld the rules-based multilateral trading system to provide trading partners with a predictable and transparent market. In addition, leveraging the institutional advantages under the “one country, two systems” framework and the highly internationalised business environment, Hong Kong has become the most important and agile gateway for business and trade in the region.
      
     “The report also showed that a series of measures carried out by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) for promoting trade, including expanding economic and trade networks, stepping up efforts in attracting enterprises and investment, deepening ties with international markets, exploring emerging markets, enhancing support for small and medium-sized enterprises, and promoting Hong Kong’s participation in the Belt and Road initiative and opening up the Mainland market, have achieved fruitful results, enabling Hong Kong to continue to play a pivotal role in international trade,” Mr Yau added.
      
     He said, “This year marks the beginning of the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan and the HKSARG is also formulating Hong Kong’s five-year plan to actively align with it. The 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly supports Hong Kong in better integrating into and serving the overall national development to further consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international trade centre, leveraging its unique advantages of being backed by the motherland and connected to the world. The HKSARG will continue to promote trade and focus on further assisting Mainland enterprises in going global through Hong Kong as a platform to explore new areas of economic growth in addition to strengthening the aforesaid measures, with a view to fulfilling our roles as a ‘super connector’ and a ‘super value-adder’.”
      
     Riding on the good performance last year, merchandise exports continued to show strong performance in early 2026. In February 2026, the values of Hong Kong’s total exports and imports of goods both recorded year-on-year increases, at 24.7 per cent and 29.9 per cent respectively. Taking January and February of 2026 together, the value of total exports of goods increased by 29.6 per cent over the same period in 2025. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased by 34.1 per cent. 
      
     According to the WTO report, Hong Kong ranked as the world’s fifth-largest trading entity in merchandise trade in 2025. Hong Kong was the world’s fifth-largest exporter and the sixth-largest importer of goods (both were three places up from 2024).
      
     Globally, the world’s top 10 merchandise traders in 2025 were basically the same as those in 2024. While the top four traders, namely the Chinese Mainland, the United States, Germany and the Netherlands, remained unchanged in ranking, Hong Kong moved two places up to the fifth position, followed by the United Kingdom, Japan, France, Italy and Mexico.
      
     For commercial service trading, Hong Kong was the world’s 22nd-largest commercial service trading entity in 2025. It was the world’s 23rd-largest commercial services exporter and the 25th importer (both remained the same ranking as that in 2024). Hong Kong’s total trade in commercial services amounted to US$211 billion in 2025, accounting for 1.2 per cent of the world’s total and representing a 6.6 per cent increase from 2024.
      
     The “Global Trade Outlook and Statistics” report is available at www.wto.org/english/res_e/reser_e/gots_e.htmIssued at HKT 14:30