Hong Kong Celebrates Year of Snake with Gala Dinners in Riyadh and Dubai, Strengthening Ties in the Middle East.

2025-02-27 22:50 Last Updated At：22:58

Dubai ETO greets Year of Snake with gala dinners in Riyadh and Dubai

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai (Dubai ETO), in collaboration with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), hosted gala dinners in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 24 (Riyadh time) and in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on February 25 (Dubai time) to celebrate the Year of Snake with Saudi and UAE communities, and promote Hong Kong as well as its unique advantages and culture to locals from various sectors.

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Dubai ETO greets Year of Snake with gala dinners in Riyadh and Dubai Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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Dubai ETO greets Year of Snake with gala dinners in Riyadh and Dubai Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

A total of over 450 guests from the government, business and cultural sectors as well as the local Hong Kong community attended the two gala dinners. Among them were the Minister of State for Foreign Trade of the UAE, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the Consul-General of the People's Republic of China in Dubai, Ms Ou Boqian, and the Chairman of the Saudi Chinese Business Council, Mr Mohammed Al Ajlan.

In his welcoming remarks to the guests, the Director-General of the Dubai ETO, Mr Damian Lee, highlighted the closer-than-ever relations and booming exchanges between Hong Kong and the Middle East region, marked by robust and active trade and economic co-operation as well as deepening collaboration in tourism, culture, education and many areas, since the establishment of the Dubai ETO more than three years ago and successive visits to Gulf countries by the Chief Executive and various Principal Officials.

Mr Lee also shared with guests how Hong Kong's distinctive advantages of having strong support of the country while maintaining unparalleled connectivity with the world render the city her role as a bridge linking the Mainland China and the rest of the world. He encouraged local business operators to make good use of Hong Kong's measures dovetailing with national development strategies to expand their business in Hong Kong.

"Like the virtuous snake in the Chinese zodiac, Hong Kong demonstrated her wisdom, flexibility and resilience amidst global uncertainties: in 2024, Hong Kong remained the world's freest economy and the third-largest global financial centre with a record number of 10 000 non-local firms, a 10 per cent increase on the previous year and a testament to the abundant confidence of people from around the world. Hong Kong also launched the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme last year, further enhancing our attractiveness to foreign capital and talents. In the Year of Snake ahead, Hong Kong and the Middle East will definitely build upon the strong foundation of our relationship for further collaborations."

The Dubai ETO also invited Legislative Council Member and Associate Vice-President of Lingnan University, Professor Lau Chi-pang, to deliver a keynote presentation, on Hong Kong's rich intangible cultural heritage, as guests marvelled at the diversity, openness and the unique mix of Eastern and Western cultures of Hong Kong. During the dinners, representatives from Invest Hong Kong and HKTDC also shared respectively Hong Kong's promising investment opportunities and the upcoming trade fairs and activities in Hong Kong, and encouraged local businesses to invest and join fairs in Hong Kong.

The events also featured cultural performances, including the ancient Chinese theatrical art form from Sichuan opera – face-changing, as well as fascinating and interactive magic shows with Hong Kong elements by Louis Yan, an internationally renowned champion magician from Hong Kong who has won the Merlin Award, also known as the "Oscars" among professional magicians. The performances received enthusiastic applause from the audience who were deeply impressed by the beauty of the traditional Chinese culture and the authentic local culture of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Advocates Urban Farming for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security at APEC Meeting.

Speech by SEE at APEC FSMM discussion session on Food Security Empowered by Technological Innovation and Digital Agriculture in Hangzhou

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, at the discussion session entitled Food Security Empowered by Technological Innovation and Digital Agriculture at the 11th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Food Security Ministerial Meeting in Hangzhou today (August 25):

Thank you Chair.

Hong Kong, China, has been actively promoting the modernisation and sustainable development of local agriculture. Our efforts focus on enhancing productivity, strengthening climate resilience, and reducing reliance on labour through technology and innovation.

To make the best use of our limited land resources, we are actively promoting the development of urban farming.

Urban farms adopt advanced facilities such as smart greenhouses or indoor cultivation systems to carry out "multi-layer farming" for year-round production, as well as high quality and fresh agricultural produce with reduced carbon footprints.

Through educational activities conducted at urban farms, the public are also provided with farming experience, thereby enhancing the quality and livability of urban life and enabling the co-development of agriculture and urbanisation.

We actively facilitate the trade to develop urban farming in a multipronged manner, with a view to driving the overall sustainable development and industrial diversification of the local agricultural sector.

Fellow APEC economies and friends, Hong Kong, China, is ready to share experiences, and collaborate with each other to advance agricultural innovation, strengthen food security, and promote shared prosperity across the region. Thank you.

Hong Kong Celebrates Year of Snake with Gala Dinners in Riyadh and Dubai, Strengthening Ties in the Middle East.

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