MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and the Hong Kong Film Development Council (FDC) led the industry to participate in the 79th Cannes Film Festival in France, which is being held from May 12 to 23. Members of the delegation included Assistant Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries and Secretary-General of the FDC, Mr Gary Mak; the Chairman of the FDC, Dr Wilfred Wong; new-generation actors, emerging Hong Kong film producers as well as representatives of the winning teams of a funding scheme under the Film Development Fund. The lineup introduced Hong Kong cinema’s rising talent and innovative strength to the international film community.

CCIDA and the FDC collaborated with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to set up the Hong Kong Pavilion themed “Hong Kong Cinema @ Cannes 2026” at the festival’s film market, and supported Hong Kong filmmakers in exploring overseas film markets and expanding their global networks through a series of activities. One of the highlights, the “Hong Kong Night” reception, was held on May 16 (Cannes time), attracting around 600 industry representatives and filmmakers from around the world, who engaged with the Hong Kong delegates (including new-generation actors Carlos Chan and Natalie Hsu) to foster market development and creative collaboration. CCIDA and the FDC also organised seminars on artificial intelligence and Asian film financing collaboration with a focus on the creative technology applications and diverse development of film production in Asia, aiming to drive cultural exchange and foster new technology and cross-border collaborations between the East and the West.

To assist Hong Kong’s film industry to identify potential partners for international collaborations, CCIDA held a Hong Kong project pitching session during the festival for the filmmakers to introduce their original projects to overseas industry players, and arranged business matching sessions with filmmakers from Brazil, Canada, France, Italy, Korea, and Spain. Attending Hong Kong delegates included five producers (Wong Hoi; Charlie Fung; Oliver Chan; Lung Kwok-yiu; and Terence Choi) who were nominated by CCIDA to participate in the festival’s official programme (namely, “Producers Network”), and three representatives of the winning projects (director Tsang Tsui-shan of “Kowloon Grand Hotel”; producer Cho King-man of “Spirited Away”; and scriptwriter Li Ling-long of “Bus Lightyear”) of the Content Development Scheme for Streaming Platforms by the FDC.

In addition, Mr Mak and Dr Wong met with representatives of various international film institutions, festival organisers, and overseas distributors, including the French National Centre of Cinema, the Series Mania of France, the British Film Institute, as well as representatives of international film festivals of Busan, Locarno, Toronto and Venice, to strengthen ties between Hong Kong and overseas film industries.
​
CCIDA will continue to work closely with the industry to proactively expand into overseas markets and bring more outstanding Hong Kong films and creative talent to the international stage.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

President Charles Lin of the Distinguished Citizens Society International of NSW, Australia, together with his team, paid a courtesy call on Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu. Director May Chiang, Thomas Lee, and Fu-Ku Hsiao also attended the meeting.
President Lin and his team briefed the delegation on the planning and progress of four major events this year, including a premium singles social event, the 30th Anniversary Celebration & 3rd Biennial Convention of the Distinguished Citizens Society International of Australia, City2Surf TW Runners, and the 8th Double Tenth National Day Basketball Championship.
DG Wu expressed appreciation for the association’s active engagement in the community and wished all upcoming events great success with strong participation and support.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

President Lai addresses Taiwan Global Health Forum Series via video as World Health Assembly convenes
On the afternoon of May 18, President Lai Ching-te addressed the Taiwan Global Health Forum Series via video. The event was organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s World Health Assembly (WHA) action team and held concurrently with the 79th WHA. In his remarks, President Lai explained that the goal of the event is to share the country’s vision for the Healthy Taiwan initiative and open dialogue on three key issues: digital health and AI governance, cancer policy and innovation, and the global effort to eliminate hepatitis C. The president also indicated that Taiwan has been an active part of global health for many years and is committed to sharing its experiences as a responsible and reliable partner. President Lai emphasized that by joining the World Health Organization (WHO), Taiwan could do even more to support the world.
A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows:
Welcome to this forum series hosted by Taiwan during the World Health Assembly. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, thank you for attending. With your expertise, I’m confident we can work together to make even greater contributions to health.
Our world is seeing many profound changes. Technology is developing fast, populations are aging, and new infectious diseases continue to emerge. Therefore, we bear greater responsibilities than ever before.
As Taiwan’s first president with a medical background, I’m eager to join forces to build a Healthy Taiwan. 
At this event, we will share our vision and engage in dialogue on three key issues: digital health and AI governance, cancer policy and innovation, and the global effort to eliminate hepatitis C.
To start, digital health and AI are reshaping the future of healthcare. Taiwan is building a solid framework to promote responsible AI governance. This will help ensure that medical AI is safe, effective, and trustworthy.
At the same time, Taiwan’s booming digital health industry will keep driving innovation. With tools like medical AI and robotics, and even the medical metaverse, we can enhance precision health and quality of care in every way.
Another critical area is cancer – one of the most serious health challenges of our time. To better prevent and treat cancer, Taiwan is promoting early screening, precision medicine, and better access to innovative treatments. We also launched a fund for new cancer drugs, and are updating our National Health Insurance. Our goal is to make sure that every patient receives timely, affordable, high-quality care.
Taiwan is also a leader in the global effort to eliminate hepatitis C. While the WHO set a target for 2030, Taiwan eliminated hepatitis C five years early. This success was no accident. It was built on sound governance and our National Health Insurance. Because of this, we were able to combine screening, treatment, and prevention into one plan.
However, this milestone is not the finish line. To maintain our progress, and close the remaining gaps, global cooperation is vital. We want to share what Taiwan has learned, and learn from our partners around the world. Together, we can work toward a future where hepatitis C is gone for good.
Successful health policy depends on collaboration. With the health challenges we face today, no country can act alone. We need to build stronger ties among the government, academia, industry, and the public. Only then can we boost innovation, promote equity, and build more resilient health systems.
For many years, Taiwan has been an active part of global health. As a responsible and reliable partner, we are committed to sharing our experiences and working closely with the international community. By joining the WHO, Taiwan could better ensure the right to health for all our people, and do even more to support the rest of the world.
To close, I want to thank the organizers, speakers, and participants for your hard work. Let’s continue building a healthier, more sustainable, and more resilient world together. Thank you. 

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Bun Scrambling Final, the finale to the 2026 Bun Carnival, will be held on Sunday night at the Pak Tai Temple Playground football pitch on Cheung Chau.

Following an opening ceremony at 11.30pm, the competition will start at midnight, in accordance with tradition. A total of 12 finalists will compete for awards across the men’s and women’s divisions.

Trophies will be awarded to the winner, first runner-up and second runner-up in the men’s division and the winner in the women’s division. The “Full Pockets of Lucky Buns” award will be presented to the participant who gathers the most buns.

Four spectator zones will bet up at the pitch to accommodate around 1,650 people. Admission is expected to start from 10.30pm.

Free tickets will be distributed from 10pm on the night of the event. These can be obtained at Pak She First Lane, next to Cheung Chau Fire Station, and along Ping Chong Road. Members of the public will be given one ticket per person on a first come, first served basis while tickets last.

Special transport arrangements will be made to cater to spectators leaving Cheung Chau after the event.

In the event of inclement weather, the event may be cancelled and will not be rescheduled. In this eventuality, the prizes would be determined based on the selection contest results. 

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

On the afternoon of May 16, President Lai Ching-te attended the opening ceremony of the 2026 Asian Pacific Society of Cardiology (APSC) Congress in conjunction with the 56th Annual Convention & Scientific Session of the Taiwan Society of Cardiology (TSOC). In remarks, President Lai stated that last year Taiwan launched the Healthy Taiwan Cultivation Plan, an important part of which is introducing smart medicine and enhancing health data governance for better disease risk management. The president said that to address hypertension, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia – the so-called three highs, Taiwan launched the 888 Program for the Prevention and Treatment of the Three Highs. Through public-private collaboration, he added, we will work toward even earlier detection and intervention for chronic diseases, helping us make system-wide improvements in cardiovascular disease prevention and care, and bringing us closer to our vision of a Healthy Taiwan.
A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows:
A warm welcome to the cardiology experts joining us from across the Asia-Pacific. We are delighted to have you here in Taiwan to share your research and clinical experiences.
I want to thank everyone working in cardiovascular medicine – in research, clinical care, public health, and international cooperation. Your work on the frontlines is helping improve health and well-being for all.
Cardiovascular disease is a challenge. And aging populations and changing lifestyles are only making it harder to address. But advancements in AI and treatment technologies are giving us better tools in the fight against CVD.
Last year, we launched the Healthy Taiwan Cultivation Plan. An important part of our strategy is smart medicine: We are expanding telemedicine and making it a standard part of care. We are deploying AI-assisted diagnostics and clinical decision support tools. And we are enhancing health data governance for better disease risk management.
To make progress against CVD, we need to address root causes: hypertension, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia – the so-called three highs.
That is why we launched the Triple-eighty [888] Program for the Prevention and Treatment of the Three Highs. By 2030, the program aims to have 80 percent of patients in the shared care network, 80 percent of those patients receive lifestyle counseling, and 80 percent of cases under control.
We will keep working closely with our partners in civil society, such as the TSOC, which has earned a strong reputation in cardiac medicine globally. Through public-private collaboration, we will work toward even earlier detection and intervention for chronic diseases. This will help us make system-wide improvements in CVD prevention and care, bringing us closer to our vision of a Healthy Taiwan.
Today’s conference is an important part of our vision. So let me thank the organizing committee for bringing it together. And to all of you here – I am confident your exchanges will open new doors for CVD prevention and care, making even greater contributions to global cardiovascular [health].
I wish this conference every success. And to our guests from abroad, I hope you take the time to experience what makes Taiwan special: the food, the scenery, and – most of all – the warmth of our people. Thank you. 

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government today announced the activation of the Alert Response Level under the Preparedness & Response Plan for Ebola Virus Disease. The decision follows the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration of an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

The Alert Response Level is the lowest of the three tiers under the Government’s response plan.

While Hong Kong has recorded no confirmed Ebola cases to date and the immediate health risk to the local population remains low, the Department of Health’s Centre for Health Protection is implementing strict prevention and control measures to guard against imported cases.

According to the WHO, the current epidemic is caused by the Bundibugyo virus disease, a strain of the Ebola virus genus. The WHO has warned that the actual outbreak is potentially much larger than currently detected and reported, with a significant risk of regional spread, noting that there are no specific therapeutics or vaccines for this particular strain.

The Centre for Health Protection urged the public to avoid visiting the affected regions unless absolutely necessary, and reminded citizens to maintain strict personal and environmental hygiene while travelling abroad.