SHYA Attends Ancestor Worship Ceremony of Yellow Emperor in Year of Bingwu in Henan Province

SHYA attends Ancestor Worship Ceremony of Yellow Emperor in Year of Bingwu in Henan Province

The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, today (April 19) attended the Ancestor Worship Ceremony of the Yellow Emperor in the Year of Bingwu in Zhengzhou in Henan Province on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

The Yellow Emperor is the cultural ancestor of the Chinese nation, while Zhengzhou is the Yellow Emperor's birthplace. The Ancestor Worship Ceremony of the Yellow Emperor, jointly organised by the People's Government of Henan Province, the Henan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, among others, is a significant event held annually in Henan Province. Under the theme "Same Root, Same Ancestor, Same Origin; Peace, Harmony and Amity", the Ancestor Worship Ceremony of the Yellow Emperor aims to promote the outstanding traditional Chinese culture.

Miss Mak expressed deepest gratitude for being invited to attend the Ancestor Worship Ceremony of the Yellow Emperor again. Miss Mak added that the culture of the Yellow Emperor symbolizes the same root of Chinese civilisation, with the profound historical and cultural heritage of Zhengzhou, the event is especially meaningful. By attending the event, Hong Kong compatriots can further enhance the sense of national identity, and promote the national feelings and cultural cohesion of Chinese people.

During her visit to Zhengzhou, Miss Mak met with the Secretary of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee and Director of the Standing Committee of the Henan Provincial People's Congress, Mr Liu Ning; the Deputy Secretary of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee and Governor of Henan Province, Mr Wang Kai; and Secretary of Party Leadership Group and Chairperson, Mr Kong Changsheng.

Miss Mak also met with Hong Kong students studying in Zhengzhou to learn about their studies and daily lives on the Mainland. She encouraged young people to grasp the opportunities to study on the Mainland to gain a deeper understanding of the swift and high quality development of the country, equip themselves and contribute to the country and Hong Kong.

Miss Mak will conclude her visit and return to Hong Kong this afternoon.

The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak (third right), today (April 19) attended the Ancestor Worship Ceremony of the Yellow Emperor in the Year of Bingwu in Zhengzhou in Henan Province on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, visited Zhengzhou. Photo shows Miss Mak (front row, centre) yesterday (April 18) with Hong Kong students studying in Henan at Zhengzhou Memory•Oil Chemical Plant Creative Park. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak (thirteen right), today (April 19) attended the Ancestor Worship Ceremony of the Yellow Emperor in the Year of Bingwu in Zhengzhou in Henan Province on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government announces third batch of projects recommended for funding support under RAISe+ Scheme

The Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) announced today (April 20) the third batch of 24 projects recommended by the Steering Committee of the Research, Academic, and Industry Sectors One-plus (RAISe+) Scheme for funding support (see Annex). The total Government funding commitment amounts to over $1 billion.

The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, expressed his gratitude to the Steering Committee for vetting the new round of applications and the recommendations made. He said, "The third batch of projects recommended for funding support covers a wide range of innovation and technology (I&T) areas, including health and medical sciences, new materials and new energy, AI and robotics, computer science/information technology, electrical and electronic engineering, and advanced manufacturing, etc. It is a clear testament to Hong Kong's research and development (R&D) capabilities and vibrant I&T ecosystem. The Government will continue to proactively promote the commercialisation of local R&D outcomes through the RAISe+ Scheme, with the aim to fostering effective collaboration among the Government, industry, academia and research sectors, injecting new momentum into local I&T development, and expediting the development of Hong Kong into an international I&T centre, thereby contributing tohigh-leveltechnological self-reliance of our country."

The ITC is following up with the universities concerned on the projects recommended for funding support for their smooth implementation, in order to nurture more I&T projects and start-ups with potential through the Scheme, thereby further driving Hong Kong's high-quality development.

With a funding allocation of $10 billion, the RAISe+ Scheme was launched in 2023 to fund, on a matching basis, research teams from the University Grants Committee-funded universities with good potential to become successful start-ups. Each approved project may receive funding support that ranges from $10 million to $100 million. Assessment criteria of the Scheme include the I&T component of the project, the commercial viability of project outcomes, the technical and management capability of the team, relevance of the project with Government policies or in the overall interest of the community, as well as the financial considerations of the project. In the first two rounds of applications, 49 projects were supported by the Scheme with the total Government funding commitment amounting to over $2 billion.

Details of the Scheme are available on its dedicated website (www.itf.gov.hk/en/raiseplus). For enquiries, please contact the Secretariat of the Scheme (Tel: 3543 5904; email: raiseplus@itc.gov.hk).

Source: AI-found images