Speech by SCST at opening ceremony of Racing with Rugby Celebration Dinner
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, at the opening ceremony of Racing with Rugby Celebration Dinner today (April 15):
The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, Photo source: reference image
Chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Mr Martin Liao, Winfried (Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges), friends from the Hong Kong Football Club and Hong Kong China Rugby, distinguished guests, rugby legends, and friends of the game,
Good evening. It is my great honour to join you tonight for this Racing with Rugby Celebration Dinner, hosted by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. My heartfelt gratitude to the leadership of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Hong Kong China Rugby, and the Hong Kong Football Club (HKFC) for making this wonderful event possible.
Racing, Photo source: HKJC
This is of course Hong Kong's Rugby Week - and tonight we bring together a vibrant programme that celebrates two of our city's most beloved sports: racing and rugby. On the rugby front, we kicked off with the prestigious HKFC 10s from April 14 to 16, which gathered international star players and set an amazing stage for the days ahead. Tonight's feature, the Hong Kong China Rugby Cup race, perfectly captures the competitive spirit of both sports. And no doubt that you all, like me, are eagerly looking forward to the Hong Kong Sevens that starts this Friday (April 17) at the magnificent Kai Tak Stadium.
Apart from being two of the greatest passions of Hong Kong, horse racing and rugby bring success on the international stage. They make our city proud, and attract tens of thousands of visitors from all around the world. Racing with Rugby offers a precious opportunity for both locals and visitors to enjoy these two world-class sports in a single celebration, reinforcing our position as Asia's events capital. The partnership between the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Hong Kong China Rugby, and the Hong Kong Football Club is more than just about sports - it is a testament to collaboration, innovation, and our shared commitment to elevating Hong Kong as a global sports destination.
Rugby, Photo source: Xinhua News
I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate the Hong Kong Jockey Club on the remarkable spectator turnout this season. The record-breaking attendance and growing number of visitors demonstrate the Club's exceptional ability to showcase Hong Kong's unique horse-racing culture on the world stage. Such achievement also underscores the appeal of our mega event line-up, which my colleagues and I will continue to develop and promote.
To all players, coaches, stakeholders, and sponsors - a big thank you for your unwavering support. You are the reason our events excite the fans and inspire the next generation.
Before I close, I wish the Hong Kong China Rugby Cup, Rugby Week, and the upcoming Hong Kong Sevens every success. May the tackles be fierce, the tries (Note) abundant, and the celebrations unforgettable. Thank you, and enjoy the evening.
Note: A try () is the primary method of scoring in rugby, achieved by grounding the ball on or behind the opponent's goal line.
Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 promotes collaborative development of smart city construction in two cities
The kick-off ceremony of the Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 (HSODC 2026) jointly organised by the Digital Policy Office (DPO) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Data was held at the InnoEX on April 13. Themed "Co-creating a Data Industry Platform for the Two Cities", this year's competition is based on open data of the governments of the two places and their latest urban development needs. It reflects the search for open data resources that drive social development while exploring collaborative models for open data and industry data, thus promoting the collaborative development of smart city construction between the two cities. This year's competition incorporates more international elements, encouraging Hong Kong and Shanghai teams to explore global application scenarios, thereby promoting the advancement of digital technologies and innovation capabilities in both cities towards the global stage.
Addressing the kick-off ceremony, the Acting Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Daniel Cheung, stated that the HSODC 2026 provides a platform for young people, research teams and enterprises from both places to showcase their creativity within the national strategic framework, driving high-quality development of the digital economy. In recent years, the HKSAR Government has actively improved open data, data sharing and flow by optimising data governance, thereby promoting data applications within the Government and across various industries. The development and use of data elements is a long-distance journey. With Hong Kong and Shanghai joining forces, the two cities will contribute significantly to the high-quality development of the country's digital economy.
The Hong Kong/Shanghai Data Co-operation Pavilion (the Pavilion), staged at the InnoEX, showcased the data application achievements of last year's competing teams in four major areas: Smart Mobility, Smart Living, Smart Environment, and Smart Economy. The Pavilion highlighted how these teams utilised data to solve real-world problems and create social value. Furthermore, a forum titled Hong Kong/Shanghai Data Co-operation was held on April 14 under the theme "Research Data Platforms". During the forum, data experts and research institution practitioners from both Hong Kong and Shanghai shared various case studies, including the integration of industry, academia, and research; the development and application of open datasets for new energy vehicles; the core advantages and industrial practices of data intelligence; and compliant data-sharing agreements for scientific research.
The HSODC 2026 is now open for registration until June 15. This year's competition continues to focus on four key areas: Smart Mobility, Smart Living, Smart Environment, and Smart Economy, encouraging participants to leverage open data resources from both cities to build innovative projects and pioneer frontier application solutions. Participants will be offered professional training to gain an in-depth understanding of the unique characteristics and advantages of urban data resources in both cities. Shortlisted teams will receive technical training from late June to August, with the opportunity to attend the grand finale to be held in Shanghai in August, showcasing their innovative and unique data technology solutions in front of judges. For more details, please visit the website: hkshadata.org.
The DPO organised a series of innovation and technology (I&T) events in April to showcase Hong Kong's vibrant I&T ecosystem. These include the Smart Hong Kong Pavilion at the InnoEX, the World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit, organised by the HKSAR Government and co-organised by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, and the HSODC 2026.
Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 promotes collaborative development of smart city construction in two cities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 promotes collaborative development of smart city construction in two cities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 promotes collaborative development of smart city construction in two cities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 promotes collaborative development of smart city construction in two cities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
