Hong Kong Celebrates Success of Inaugural Performing Arts Expo at Gala Dinner

Speech by SCST at Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo Gala Dinner

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, at the Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo Gala Dinner today (October 18):

Kenneth (Chairman of Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Mr Kenneth Fok), Wilfred (Chairman of Hong Kong Arts Development Fund Advisory Committee, Dr Wilfred Wong), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening.

It is with great pleasure that we gather here this evening to celebrate the immense success and conclusion of the inaugural Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo (HKPAX).

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This inaugural Expo was participated by over 1 400 arts leaders and practitioners from around 60 countries and regions. There were over 100 performances, leadership talks, workshops and networking events of HKPAX, cutting across a variety of art forms. The Expo serves as a testament to the city's commitment and efforts to cultivating artistic brilliance, fostering cultural exchange and dialogue, and delivering enthralling collaborative and cross-cultural performances for the delight of all public and visitors. It has also consolidated Hong Kong's status as a global arts hub, further achieving our mission to develop Hong Kong into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.

I am sure that you have had a taste of our unique glamour at HKPAX. Together with the 2024 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival to be kicked off tomorrow, the two mega arts events will complement each other and enable Hong Kong to further give play to its role of "bringing in" different cultures while enabling Chinese culture to "go global". Furthermore, I know some of you will join the tour to Shenzhen and Guangdong. You will be able see for yourself a fast developing cultural landscape with many new infrastructure and collaboration opportunities in the Mainland.

It is also our endeavour to develop our arts infrastructure to bring in more local and international arts productions. Besides the stunning West Kowloon Cultural District and other venues that you have spent time during HKPAX, I am excited to share with you the completion of many more new venues, including the Lyric Theatre Complex in West Kowloon, the East Kowloon Cultural Centre and also a new world-class stadium that can house 50 000 audience in Kai Tak Sports Park in Kowloon. We will be more than delighted to welcome you to Hong Kong again, to experience many more exciting arts and cultural events in these new venues as well as to bring in and stage your incredible productions here.

I hope in addition to experiencing our rich and vibrant cultural offerings, in the past five days you have also made new friends, reconnected with familiar faces, as well as explored exciting opportunities for future collaboration, and on this basis, you will continue to join hands in promoting arts and culture.

Before I close, I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed to the success of HKPAX. Your dedication and passion have made HKPAX a remarkable celebration that we all cherish.

And now, I would like to say a few words in Cantonese.

Joint operation by Hong Kong Customs and law enforcement agencies of Chinese Mainland detect seaborne illicit cigarette smuggling case with seizure worth about $22 million

Hong Kong Customs and law enforcement agencies of the Chinese Mainland mounted a joint anti-smuggling operation yesterday (September 8) and detected a suspected smuggling case involving a high-powered speedboat in the northwest waters of Hong Kong. About 5 million suspected illicit cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $22 million and a duty potential of about $16.5 million, and a high-powered speedboat equipped with six outboard engines, were seized.

Based on risk assessment and intelligence analysis, Customs co-operated with the law enforcement agencies of the Chinese Mainland, including the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department and anti-smuggling departments of the Mainland Customs to conduct an anti-smuggling operation in the aforementioned waters yesterday. During the operation, in the waters off northwest of Chep Lap Kok, a suspicious speed boat was spotted heading towards Sha Chau with its navigation light off. Customs officers immediately took action to pursue and intercept the speedboat, but the speedboat accelerated and fled.

Later, Customs boardedthe speedboat and stopped the vessel for investigation. The speedboat was discovered to be equipped with six powerful outboard engines, and the batch of suspected illicit cigarettes was seized onboard the vessel. Two mainland men, aged 30 and 36, suspected of violating the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO), were arrested.

Under the DCO, anyone involved in importing, dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit motor spirit or cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and two years' imprisonment for motor spirit, or $2 million and seven years' imprisonment for cigarette.

Members of the public may report any illicit fuel or cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account(crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Joint operation by Hong Kong Customs and law enforcement agencies of Chinese Mainland detect seaborne illicit cigarette smuggling case with seizure worth about $22 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Joint operation by Hong Kong Customs and law enforcement agencies of Chinese Mainland detect seaborne illicit cigarette smuggling case with seizure worth about $22 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases