Xia Baolong Inspects Hong Kong's Development Plans and Progress on National 15th Five-Year Strategy

2026-06-16 22:54 Last Updated At：23:23

Director of Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of CPC Central Committee and Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council Mr Xia Baolong arrives in Hong Kong for inspection visit (with photos/video)

The Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Xia Baolong, arrived in Hong Kong today (June 16) to conduct an inspection of Hong Kong's alignment with the National 15th Five-Year Plan and the advancement of the Northern Metropolis development.

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Director of Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of CPC Central Committee and Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council Mr Xia Baolong arrives in Hong Kong for inspection visit (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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Source: AI-found images

Director of Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of CPC Central Committee and Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council Mr Xia Baolong arrives in Hong Kong for inspection visit (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Source: AI-found images

In the morning, Mr Xia visited the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area Community Liaison Centre in the company of the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee. He was briefed on the planning and development of the new development area, particularly on the pilot area of large-scale land disposal in Hung Shui Kiu and the development of the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park. During the visit, Mr Xia was also briefed on the transport planning as well as the construction of the railway and the Smart and Green Mass Transit System in the new development area.

Mr Xia later paid a visit to the Hung Shui Kiu University Town Area to inspect the planning, development vision and latest progress of the Northern Metropolis University Town. He also visited the Light Public Housing on Yau Pok Road, Yuen Long, to listen to a briefing on the latest progress of the Light Public Housing projects. He then visited a family of four and had an exchange with them.

Next, Mr Xia visited the Microelectronics Centre in Yuen Long InnoPark to learn about the innovation and technology industry developments in Hong Kong.

In the afternoon, Mr Xia went to the Kwu Tung North New Development Area to inspect the construction progress of housing, transport, government offices and other ancillary facilities in the area. He later visited the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Loop to learn about its overall development plan and latest position, as well as the construction progress of the Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster site. Mr Xia afterwards visited the Central Government-Aided Emergency Hospital in the Lok Ma Chau Loop to inspect its operations.

In the evening, Mr Xia visited AsiaWorld-Expo to learn about how Hong Kong transforms mega events into new economic impetus to help the city seize the development opportunities brought about by the National 15th Five-Year Plan.

Officials accompanying the visits included the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan; the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau; the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau; the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn; the Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho; the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin; the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong; the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan; the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Miss Janice Tse Siu-wa; and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms Carol Yip.

Mr Xia will continue his visit to Hong Kong tomorrow (June 17).

Hong Kong Film Gala Debuts in Riyadh, Showcasing Contemporary Cinema to Saudi Audiences.

First ever Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation hosted in Saudi Arabia, bridging two cultures and cinematic worlds

The Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation made its historic debut in Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia, from June 12 to 14, introducing contemporary Hong Kong cinema to local audiences for the first time.

Presented by the Asian Film Awards Academy, with support from the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai (HKETO Dubai), the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, and the Film Development Fund, the inaugural Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation – Saudi Arabia took place at a leading cinema chain in the Saudi capital. The programme featured four new films from Hong Kong filmmakers, showcasing a diverse range of genres – from action thrillers and suspenseful dramas to deeply compelling human stories.

Nearly 200 guests attended the opening reception to interact with Directors Njo Kui-ying ("Road to Vendetta") and Chou Man-yu ("Behind the Shadows") who traveled to Riyadh to join the landmark occasion. Other distinguished guests included the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mr Chang Hua; senior representatives from local government and regulatory bodies, including the Saudi Film Commission and the General Authority for Media Regulation; as well as members of the local business and cultural communities. The festival debut of opening film "Road to Vendetta", also its Middle East premiere, was screened to a full house with enthusiastic response.

To enable better audience understanding about Hong Kong cinema, post-screening sharing sessions were held with Directors Njo and Chou, who discussed the inspirations and creative processes behind their works. Additional films featured in the festival included "Ciao UFO" and "Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert".

Speaking at the opening reception, Director-General of HKETO Dubai, Mr Simon Chan, highlighted Saudi Arabia's remarkable cinematic renaissance and thriving creative industries driven by Vision 2030. He further noted that as the current official representation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in the Middle East region, HKETO Dubai has been actively working to promote diverse exchanges and liaison between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia across multiple sectors, including business, cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

"The Government is committed to promoting the development of arts, culture and creative industries, with over $9 billion in total injected into the CreateSmart Initiative and the Film Development Fund. The Government also actively supports the development of our local film industry through funding schemes and industry activities for deepening cultural exchange and expanding markets. We are hopeful that hosting the inaugural Hong Kong film festival in Saudi Arabia will allow more local audiences to experience Hong Kong cinema, and strengthen cultural connections between Hong Kong and Middle East audiences and filmmakers in the industry," Mr Chan said.

HKETO Dubai will continue to support Hong Kong's cultural and creative industries by fostering cross-regional exchanges and creating new opportunities through collaboration with stakeholders in the Middle East region.

Xia Baolong Inspects Hong Kong's Development Plans and Progress on National 15th Five-Year Strategy

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