9th Hong Kong Games Opening Ceremony held

Exciting kickoff: 9th hong kong games launches with spectacular opening ceremony

The 9th Hong Kong Games (HKG) Opening Ceremony was held at the Hong Kong Coliseum this afternoon (April 21). The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, officiated at the ceremony and, together with athletes from the 18 districts and members of the public, witnessed the official opening of the 9th HKG.

Addressing the ceremony, the Acting Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau, said the Sports Commission holds the HKG every two years, offering an opportunity for athletes to showcase their talent and compete. Mr Lau called on members of the public to come to watch the matches and cheer for the athletes at the competitions, as well as joining the community participation programmes to echo the HKG's slogan "Our City, Our Games".

After Mr Chan made an announcement of the official opening of the 9th HKG, an athlete representative from Yuen Long District, the overall champion of the 7th HKG, took an oath on behalf of all participating athletes of the 9th HKG.

Mainland Olympic gold medallists Wang Yilyu (badminton) and Ding Ning (table tennis) and Hong Kong medallists Samuel Hui and Minnie Soo held the torch to enter the venue and lit the cauldron of the Games.

The ceremony's programme featured a variety of performances, including performances by winning teams of the 18 districts' cheering team competition in the pre-show to demonstrate the uniqueness and vitality of their districts. There were also lion dances; demonstrations of breaking, skateboarding, wushu and Latin dance; variety shows by elite athletes, and performances by pop singers. Highlights of the ceremony will be broadcast on TVB Jade between 10.30pm and 11.30pm tonight.

Also officiating at today's ceremony were Members of the Legislative Council Mr Ma Fung-kwok and Mr Vincent Cheng; the President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC), Mr Timothy Fok; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Vincent Liu; the Commissioner for Sports, Mr Sam Wong; the Chairman of the 9th HKG Organising Committee, Professor Patrick Yung; and Executive Advisers of the Organising Committee Mr William Tong and Mr David Yip.

The inter-district sports competitions of the 9th HKG are being held from today to June 9. The competitions cover eight sports, namely athletics, badminton, 3-on-3 basketball, futsal, swimming, table tennis, tennis and volleyball. The four events of the sports competitions for people with disabilities include wheelchair 3-on-3 basketball, boccia, and swimming and table tennis for people with intellectual disabilities. And the four Urban Sports Demonstration Competitions include women's futsal, breaking, skateboarding and sport climbing.

In order to boost the lively atmosphere of the Games, not only finals of all sports competitions will be webcast live, but also seven of the final competitions will be broadcast live on Radio Television Hong Kong TV 32, namely women's futsal & futsal (May 25), table tennis & table tennis for persons with intellectual disabilities (May 26), badminton (June 1 and 2), 3-on-3 basketball and wheelchair 3-on-3 basketball (June 2), allowing more people to enjoy these exciting events.

Members of the public can also take part in community participation programmes, such as the Dynamic Moments Photo Contest and voting and guessing activities. Details of these programmes and the competition schedule are available on the HKG designated website www.hongkonggames.hk.

The 9th HKG is organised by the Sports Commission and co-ordinated by its Community Sports Committee, with the Home Affairs Department, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the SF&OC, and the relevant National Sports Associations of the sports competitions as co-organisers. The Hong Kong Jockey Club is the major sponsor of the event.

9th Hong Kong Games Opening Ceremony held Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

9th Hong Kong Games Opening Ceremony held Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

9th Hong Kong Games Opening Ceremony held Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

9th Hong Kong Games Opening Ceremony held Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

9th Hong Kong Games Opening Ceremony held Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

9th Hong Kong Games Opening Ceremony held Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

9th Hong Kong Games Opening Ceremony held Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Exclusive coverage: fs immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of the asian development bank's annual meeting in georgia (including stunning photos and captivating video)

The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, continued his attendance yesterday (May 3, Tbilisi time) at the 57th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Tbilisi, Georgia.

In the morning, Mr Chan participated in the Constituency Meeting of the ADB Annual Meeting, where he discussed ADB's work direction and strategy with representatives from a number of member countries. Topics discussed included the future areas of focus, how to better utilise the bank's capital and lending capacity, strengthening knowledge transfer and human resources training, and more.

Assisting ADB developing member countries in effectively addressing climate change is one of the main themes of this year's Annual Meeting. Speaking at the Constituency Meeting, Mr Chan highlighted that Hong Kong possesses a vibrant and high-quality financial market, which can efficiently connect market funds with projects to assist member countries in need to combat climate change and engage in green and low-carbon transition. Hong Kong also actively promotes insurance-linked securities products, and has facilitated the issuance of a number of catastrophe bonds. They have not only helped transfer and spread of the relevant risks to the securities market, but also extended disaster protection to more people. Moreover, Hong Kong's flourishing green tech ecosystem can provide innovative and practical solutions for green development in different countries.

In the afternoon, Mr Chan met with Executive Director representing Hong Kong, China's constituency in the ADB Board of Directors, Ms Rachel Thompson, and Deputy Executive Director, Ms Lisa Wright. They discussed how Hong Kong could better assist ADB developing member countries in sustainable development. Mr Chan said that green tech, green finance, and digital transformation should also be the focal points and key areas of support for member countries by the ADB. Beyond offering financial and professional services, Hong Kong, China may also share its knowledge and experiences in the above areas with ADB members, such as collaborating on relevant activities and human resources training programmes.

Thereafter, Mr Chan met with the Minister of Finance of Georgia, Mr Lasha Khutsishvili. They exchanged views on strengthening bilateral economic and trade relations, investment cooperation, tourism and people-to-people exchanges, etc. Mr Chan said that Hong Kong is an international financial centre with high-quality and excellent professional services, and has well-established air and maritime networks. He is confident that Hong Kong can become an important platform for Georgian enterprises to expand their businesses in the region, and serve as a vital bridge that connects them with the vast market of Mainland China. Mr Chan also explained to Mr Khutsishvili on the latest economic situation in Hong Kong.

In the late afternoon, Mr Chan paid a courtesy visit to the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Georgia, Mr Zhou Qian. They exchanged views on the latest developments of Hong Kong and Georgia. In the evening, Mr Chan also attended a reception hosted by the ADB.

Mr Chan will continue to attend events of the ADB Annual Meeting today (May 4, Tbilisi time).

FS continues to attend Annual Meeting of Asian Development Bank in Georgia (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FS continues to attend Annual Meeting of Asian Development Bank in Georgia (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FS continues to attend Annual Meeting of Asian Development Bank in Georgia (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FS continues to attend Annual Meeting of Asian Development Bank in Georgia (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FS continues to attend Annual Meeting of Asian Development Bank in Georgia (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases