Asia+ Festival 2026: Celebrating Cross-Cultural Arts with Over 100 Performances from 30+ Countries

Fourth Asia+ Festival to open in September to showcase a mixture of traditional and contemporary elements with new cross-disciplinary interpretations

Presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the fourth edition of the Asia+ Festival will be held from September to November, expanding creative horizons and fostering cross-cultural artistic exchange through broad cross-disciplinary collaboration.

This year, over 30 countries and regions will take part, with six joining for the first time, namely Armenia, Brazil, Czechia, Moldova, Palestine and Uruguay. The Asia+ Festival 2026 will showcase the artistic essence of Asia and countries and regions along the Belt and Road, presenting over 100 performances and related arts events.

Themed "Traditions Recast", this year's festival spans a wide range of art forms, including music, dance, acrobatics and more. Blending traditional and contemporary elements, it offers fresh perspectives on the performing arts. Tickets will be available to the public from July 23 (Thursday). Highlights of selected programmes are as follows:

A four-band fusion

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The opening programme, the "TRI-ART!ON" Concert, will be led by award-winning Hong Kong pop music producer Carl Wong, featuring a local line-up comprising drummer Jun Kung, guitarist Jason Kui, vocalist Jan Curious and more. The Hong Kong musicians will perform alongside Uuhai, a Mongolian heavy metal band fusing the horsehead fiddle with heavy metal riffs who will perform in Hong Kong for the first time; KARDI, an emerging Korean rock band that pairs the traditional geomungo with K-rock female vocal; and KIKI, a Thai indie-band that conjures a tropical haze with buoyant electronic grooves and dreamy textures, opening the festival with a mixture of various dimensions of sound.

Cross-disciplinary audio-visual performances

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The festival presents cross-disciplinary performances that promise a refreshing experience. To be presented in October, "Guitar Duo Recital by Assad Brothers" is the Hong Kong stop on the farewell tour of the Brazilian duo to mark their 60th anniversary. Renowned local guzheng virtuoso Wan Xing will join the stage for an East-meets-West piece inspired by legendary Chinese folk heroine Mulan. Acclaimed for their virtuosity and telepathic unity, the Assad Brothers have been leading figures in the classical guitar world for over half a century, earning repeated recognition at the Latin Grammy Awards.

A Pakistani visual artist will join Syrian musicians performing qanun and duclar from the Aga Khan Music Programme to present "Canvas of Sound", bringing Middle Eastern calligraphy into direct dialogue with music. Guided by the mysterious yet richly layered sounds of the Middle East, the visual artist will create Arabic calligraphy live on stage. With brushstrokes as fluid and expressive as dance - rising and falling in sync with the melodious music - the artist creates a stirring piece that refreshes the mind.

Across time, across traditions: a journey into intangible cultural heritage

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Malaysia's leading percussion ensemble, Hands Percussion, will join forces with Gamelan Yuganada from Bali, Indonesia, to present "Taksu - The Spirit of Gamelan" in November. The performance weaves Chinese lion dance drum (shigu), the powerful Malaysian 24 Festive Drums and the ethereal, spiritual sonorities of gamelan - widely regarded as one of the world's great musical treasures - into a seamless whole. The Hong Kong Children'sChoir will also perform a series of repertoires alongside Hands Percussion, including a reimagined "Jasmine Flower", using a classic folk song to bridge cultures across East Asia.

Fresh off a European tour, Lune Production, widely hailed as the Vietnamese Cirque du Soleil, will bring its contemporary acrobatic theatre work "Teh Dar" to Hong Kong for the first time. The production blends bamboo craft with breathtakingly difficult acrobatics, while weaving in traditional instruments from Vietnam's Central Highlands and the K'Ho region's intangible cultural heritage of gong culture. Together, these elements evoke the grandeur of sweeping mountain ranges and suffuse the stage with a primitive aesthetic.

Grand finale: Asian Ethnic Cultural Performances+

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The well-received annual large-scale outdoor carnival Asian Ethnic Cultural Performances+ will return in late November with the support of various Consulates Generalin Hong Kong. Bringing together stage performances of diverse ethnic styles, cultural booths, and workshops, it showcases the vibrant arts and culture of around 30 Belt and Road countries and regions, inviting participants to experience diverse cultures in a heartfelt and vibrant atmosphere. The carnival will also present "Convergence of Cross-Cultural Gifting - Ethnic Cultural Exhibition", featuring woven textiles, distinctive handicrafts, photographs, oil paintings, and porcelain art from different countries and regions, and conveying the blessings and personal touch embedded in each artisan's work.

An Asia+ gathering: more to come

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Other exciting programmes of the festival include "Duo Recital by Sol Gabetta (Cello) and Patricia Kopatchinskaja (Violin)"; the original contemporary ballet "GAT" by Korea's Yunbyul Ballet Company and the musical "The Longest Nights" by Korea's Library Company; Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra's "Swire Proudly Sponsors: Belt and Road: Zitong Wang Plays Chopin" concert; Hong Kong Sinfonietta's "Great Violin Concertos: Alexandra Conunova Plays Saint-Saëns" concert; Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra's concerts - "2026 International Sheng and Reeds Festival: Thousand Reeds, One Universe" and "2026 Hong Kong Drum Festival: Majestic Drums"; Hong Kong Dance Company's production "Voyage of the Eight Graces"; Hong Kong Ballet's production "Dunhuang: In Search of Light"; and City Contemporary Dance Company's production "'The Connected Stage' Series: Kylián and Sangba".

The festival will also feature an exhibition themed "Sonic Odyssey of Curious Creatures" and a series of workshops, masterclasses, talks, and outreach performances, letting participants appreciate a wide diversity of art and cultures.

Tickets will be available from July 23 (Thursday) at URBTIX counters, self-service ticketing kiosks, website (www.urbtix.hk), mobile ticketing app URBTIX, and by telephone booking (hotline: 3166 1288). Early bird discounts of up to 30 per cent will be available until August 12 (Wednesday). For programme enquiries and other discount schemes, please call 2370 1044 or visitwww.asiaplus.gov.hk.

The fourth Asia+ Festival will be held from September to November. Photo shows the festival's guests and performers attending the programme briefing today (July 16). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The fourth Asia+ Festival will be held from September to November. Photo shows the lion dance drum (shigu) performance by the Chinese martial arts and lion dance team from Taoist Ching Chung Primary School at the programme briefing today (July 16). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The fourth Asia+ Festival will be held from September to November. Photo shows renowned local guzheng virtuoso Wan Xing (left) performing at the programme briefing today (July 16). She will join the Assad Brothers in "Guitar Duo Recital by Assad Brothers" to play a piece inspired by legendary Chinese folk heroine Mulan. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The fourth Asia+ Festival will be held from September to November. Photo shows the Chief Manager (Festivals and Audience Development) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Miss Evelyn Yip, introducing festival highlights at the programme briefing today (July 16). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The fourth Asia+ Festival will be held from September to November. Lune Production, widely hailed as the Vietnamese Cirque du Soleil, will perform its contemporary acrobatic theatre work "Teh Dar". (Source of photo: Lune Production) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The fourth Asia+ Festival will be held from September to November. In November, Malaysia's leading percussion ensemble Hands Percussion will join forces with Gamelan Yuganada from Bali, Indonesia, to present "Taksu - The Spirit of Gamelan". (Source of photo: Melvin XB) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Asia+ Festival presents cross-disciplinary performances that promise a refreshing experience. To be presented in October, "Guitar Duo Recital by Assad Brothers" is the Hong Kong stop on the farewell tour of the Assad Brothers from Brazil to mark their 60th anniversary. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Asia+ Festival presents cross-disciplinary performances that promise a refreshing experience. A Pakistani visual artist will join Syrian musicians performing qanun and duclar from the Aga Khan Music Programme to present "Canvas of Sound", bringing Middle Eastern calligraphy into direct dialogue with music. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The opening programme of the 4th Asia+ Festival, the "TRI-ART!ON" Concert, will be led by award-winning Hong Kong pop music producer Carl Wong. Photo shows Wong introducing the highlights of the concert at the programme briefing today (July 16). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the fourth edition of the Asia+ Festival will be held from September to November, expanding creative horizons and fostering cross-cultural artistic exchange through broad cross-disciplinary collaboration. The opening programme, the "TRI-ART!ON" Concert, will be led by award-winning Hong Kong pop music producer Carl Wong, featuring a local line-up including drummer Jun Kung, alongside Uuhai from Mongolia, KARDI from South Korea and KIKI from Thailand. The concert will kick off the festival with a mixture of various dimensions of sound. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade in May 2026

Further to the external merchandise trade statistics in value terms for May 2026 released earlier on, the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (July 16) the volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for that month.

In May 2026, the volume of Hong Kong's total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 25.8% and 27.4% respectively over May 2025.

Comparing the first five months of 2026 with the same period in 2025, the volume of Hong Kong's total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 27.6% and 31.0% respectively.

Comparing the three-month period ending May 2026 with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the volume of total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 10.8% and 11.0% respectively.

Changes in volume of external merchandise trade are derived from changes in external merchandise trade value with the effect of price changes discounted.

Comparing May 2026 with May 2025, the prices of total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 11.8% and 11.1% respectively.

As regards price changes in the first five months of 2026 over the same period in 2025, the prices of total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 6.7% and 6.5% respectively.

Price changes in external merchandise trade are reflected by changes in unit value indices of external merchandise trade, which are compiled based on average unit values or, for certain commodities, specific price data.

The terms of trade index is derived from the ratio of price index of total exports of goods to that of imports of goods. Compared with the same periods in 2025, the index increased by 0.6% in May 2026 and 0.2% in the first five months of 2026.

Changes in the unit value and volume of total exports of goods by main destination are shown in Table 1.

Comparing May 2026 with May 2025, increases were recorded for the total export volume to Taiwan (70.7%), Vietnam (48.9%), the USA (40.4%) and Chinese Mainland (the Mainland) (31.2%). On the other hand, the total export volume to India decreased by 24.5%.

Over the same period of comparison, the total export prices to all main destinations increased: the Mainland (13.2%), Vietnam (11.9%), the USA (11.2%), Taiwan (10.0%) and India (10.0%).

Changes in the unit value and volume of imports of goods by main supplier are shown in Table 2.

Comparing May 2026 with May 2025, increases were recorded for the import volume from all main suppliers: Korea (67.2%), Vietnam (57.4%), the Mainland (35.0%), Singapore (14.8%) and Taiwan (3.1%).

Over the same period of comparison, the import prices from all main suppliers increased: Korea (24.3%), Taiwan (16.5%), the Mainland (11.7%), Singapore (9.7%) and Vietnam (8.6%).

Further information

Details of the above statistics are published in the May 2026 issue of "Hong Kong Merchandise Trade Index Numbers". Users can browse and download the report at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1020006&scode=230).

Enquiries on merchandise trade indices may be directed to the Trade Analysis Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3863 2599).

Source: AI-found images