Aristo Sham's Van Cliburn Piano Competition victory celebrated in New York
The Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York, Ms Maisie Ho, attended the 17th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition press conference in New York City on June 11 (New York time), where she congratulated Hong Kong pianist Aristo Sham on his momentous win at the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
Aristo Sham, whose remarkable artistry and technical brilliance captivated audiences and judges alike, made history as the first-ever Hong Kong pianist to win the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, one of the world's most esteemed classical music competitions, which concluded on June 7 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Remarking on Aristo Sham's extraordinary achievement, Ms Ho said, "Aristo's win at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition is not only a personal triumph but also a source of immense pride for Hong Kong, further reinforcing Hong Kong's reputation as a nurturing home for extraordinary musical talent. This historic milestone also highlights Hong Kong's vibrant cultural legacy on the global stage and underpins Hong Kong's positioning as an East-Meets-West cultural hub."
Aristo Sham's Van Cliburn Piano Competition victory celebrated in New York Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Aristo Sham's Van Cliburn Piano Competition victory celebrated in New York Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong-Shenzhen Joint Working Group on Environmental Protection holds meeting in Hong Kong
The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, and Vice Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government Ms Zhang Hua, leading the officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the delegation of the Shenzhen Municipal Government respectively, held the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Joint Working Group on Environmental Protection meeting in Hong Kong today (June 2).
The meeting reviewed and endorsed the Working Group's 2025 Work Report and noted the implementation progress of the Agreement on Further Deepening Hong Kong-Shenzhen Co-operation in Ecological and Environmental Protection (the Co-operation Agreement). Both sides also exchanged views in depth on the preparation of the five-year plan for ecological and environmental protection in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, regional environmental quality assurance during the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) meetings, the joint development of the Shenzhen–Hong Kong ecological corridor, and cross-boundary biodiversity conservation. The two sides reported on their work progress and shared experiences on the above aspects.
The HKSAR Government is actively aligning with the National 15th Five-Year Plan and will complete the formulation of Hong Kong’s first five-year plan within this year. The HKSAR Government will continue to fully support the country in achieving its "dual carbon" goals, accelerate green transformation, and strive to reduce carbon emissions by half from the 2005 level by 2035, with a view to achieving carbon neutrality before 2050. At the meeting, the HKSAR Government reported progress in green transport, environmental quality and ecological conservation, including the promotion of a Shenzhen-Hong Kong cross-boundary electric cargo vehicle pilot scheme, preparations for nominating Port Shelter in Sai Kung for inclusion in the national "Beautiful Bays" list, and the deepening of co-operation on the Shenzhen Wutong Mountain–Hong Kong Robin's Nest ecological corridor. The Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) and the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) will organise a seminar on the Ecological and Environmental Code of the People's Republic of China in late June, inviting Mainland experts to attend. Representatives from relevant Shenzhen departments are also invited to attend the seminar as well as the Eco Expo to be held in Hong Kong in October during the meeting.
To ensure good environmental quality during the APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting to be held in Hong Kong in October this year and the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting to be held in Shenzhen in November, Hong Kong and Shenzhen will continue to strengthen regional joint prevention and control efforts, including air quality assurance, water quality monitoring and emergency response capability.
Both sides are also actively advancing the development of the Shenzhen Wutong Mountain–Hong Kong Robin's Nest ecological corridor. In 2025, the two sides jointly completed a biodiversity survey of the ecological corridor area, strengthened ecological data sharing and connectivity, and will further enhance conservation effectiveness in the future to promote ecological integration between Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
Mr Tse thanked the various departments of the Shenzhen Municipal Government for their full support. He expressed the hope that both sides would continue to work hard under the framework of the Joint Working Group, anchor on the ten major co-operation tasks set out in the Co-operation Agreement signed in 2024, and ensure all tasks are advanced with high quality and full coverage, so as to jointly build a Beautiful China and work towards carbon neutrality.
The Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Environment), Mr Eddie Cheung; the Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui; and representatives from the EEB, the EPD and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department also attended the meeting.
Hong Kong-Shenzhen Joint Working Group on Environmental Protection holds meeting in Hong Kong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong-Shenzhen Joint Working Group on Environmental Protection holds meeting in Hong Kong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
