LCSD to launch lecture series "Hong Kong Music Stories Series - All to start from the Libraries"
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present a new lecture series, "Hong Kong Music Stories Series - All to start from the Libraries", from October to December. Curated and hosted by former Chief Librarian of the Hong Kong Central Library (HKCL) Dr Jim Chang, the six-lecture series takes the HKCL's Hong Kong Music Collection Campaign, which has been running for 25 years, as a starting point. Dr Chang will reflect on his work in music collection and archive, sharing the stories of six musicians who hold a prominent place in Hong Kong's music culture and providing in-depth appreciation of their representative works, thereby analysing their outstanding contributions and profound impact on the development of related local culture.
Details of each lecture are as follows:
Lecture 1: The Serious and the Witty Woo Man-sum
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Date: October 27 (Tuesday)
Guest Speaker: Wong Chi-wah
Woo Man-sum (1910-1963) was a renowned composer and librettist of his generation in Hong Kong. He began writing Cantonese opera libretti for famous stars in his youth and later composed lyrics for film songs, producing a remarkably diverse body of work that ranged from the serious to the witty. The speaker will share an extraordinary story behind his archival work on Woo's musical legacy.
Lecture 2: The Music Dreams of Chen Ning-chi
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Date: November 3 (Tuesday)
Indonesian-Chinese composer Chen Ning-chi (1940-2025) graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music. After relocating to Hong Kong in 1973, he served as the Assistant Music Director and Composer-in-Residence of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (HKCO), among other posts. In 2015, he received the Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong (CASH) Hall of Fame Award. Chen left behind a legacy of more than 500 compositions, the majority of which are now held in the collection of the HKCL. This lecture will look back on his musical life.
Lecture 3: The Maestro of Cantonese Music, Loo Kah-chi
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Date: November 10 (Tuesday)
Guest Speaker: Ip Sai-hung
Cantonese music master Loo Kah-chi (1917-1996) settled in Hong Kong after the war and actively participated in vocal accompaniment, film scoring, radio broadcasting, music composition and concert performances. He led Radio Television Hong Kong's Cantonese Music Ensemble and the Lung Cheung Opera Troupe for 30 long years from the 1960s. Many of his autograph manuscripts are now preserved in the HKCL. This lecture will recount his life and contributions to the development of Chinese music and Cantonese opera in Hong Kong.
Lecture 4: Tong Leung-tak and the Legacy of Jiangnan Music
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Date: November 17 (Tuesday)
Guest Speaker: Koo Sing-fai
Erhu master Tong Leung-tak (1938-2010) gained considerable renown during his youth in Shanghai with the Tong Family Ensemble. After settling in Hong Kong, he served as the Concertmaster of the HKCO and later worked at the Music Office (currently under the LCSD). He also taught erhu at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. This lecture will explore his influence and contributions to Chinese music education in Hong Kong.
Lecture 5: Chen Dieyi the Poetic Lyricist
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Date: November 24 (Tuesday)
Guest Speaker: Chan Nicholas Louis
Renowned lyricist Chen Dieyi (1908-2007) moved to Hong Kong in 1952, devoting himself to editing, writing, screenwriting and songwriting. He penned timeless classics including "Evening Bells at Nanping" and "Lover's Tears". In 1996, he received the CASH Hall of Fame Award. Following his passing, his works were bequeathed to the HKCL. This lecture will reminisce about his life and the monumental contributions of his lyrics.
Lecture 6: "Love is Like a Dream", all about Pong Chow-wah
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Date: December 1 (Tuesday)
Pong Chow-wah (1928-1991) was a composer, lyricist and screenwriter who wrote for more than 30 films. He later worked for a record company and a television station, during which time he wrote Cantonese lyrics for the theme songs of several Japanese television dramas, such as "Robotan" and "Kamen Rider". His 1960s masterpiece "Love Is Like a Dream" became a beloved Cantopop classic. Apart from recounting Pong's life, the speaker will also share another remarkable story from his archival work on Pong's musical legacy.
Dr Chang joined the HKCO as a sheng musician after graduation from university. He later joined the public library service under the former Urban Council and retired as the Chief Librarian of the HKCL. He currently serves as a part-time lecturer at the Academy of Music of the Hong Kong Baptist University.
All lectures will be conducted in Cantonese and will start at 7.30pm at AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Each lecture will run for about one hour and 30 minutes. Tickets are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk) for $80 per lecture (free seating). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries and discount schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visitwww.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1996.html.
Source: AI-found images
Speech by SCED at "Think Business, Think Hong Kong" Symposium in Kuala Lumpur
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, at the "Think Business, Think Hong Kong" Symposium in Kuala Lumpur today (August 11):
Minister Loke Siew Fook (Minister of Transport, Malaysia), H.E. Ouyang Yujing (Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia, Mr Ouyang Yujing), Frederick (Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Professor Frederick Ma), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It is a great pleasure to join you here in Kuala Lumpur today for the HKTDC's flagship symposium – "Think Business, Think Hong Kong".
I would like to first thank the Malaysian government. With your support and facilitation, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Kuala Lumpur, the ETO, smoothly commenced operation last December. Malaysia has long been a valued and indispensable partner of Hong Kong within ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). With our new government office in Kuala Lumpur, I firmly believe that our friendship and partnership will continue to flourish and strengthen. This afternoon, I will officiate at the opening of the ETO's long-term office in Menara IQ TRX.
The symposium today sits at a time of profound transformation in the global economy, which is characterised by geopolitical tensions, supply chain realignments and technological changes. Yet, in all these challenges, we also find opportunities. And with our core strengths, Hong Kong can be Malaysia's partner to navigate the increasingly complex external environment.
As one of the world's freest economies, the free-market principles have been the bedrock of our success. We firmly support the rules-based multilateral trading system. With our tariff-free regime, simple and low tax structure, and robust legal system founded on the rule of law and an independent judiciary, we provide a business environment that is stable, transparent and predictable. It is easy to do business with, and from Hong Kong.
Hong Kong's economy is riding on strong and sustained growth. In the second quarter of 2026, our real GDP expanded by 4.3 per cent year-on-year, building upon the solid 5.9 per cent growth in the first quarter. This bears out the resilience, dynamism and competitiveness of our economy.
Hong Kong's unique strength lies not only in our robust infrastructure or business-friendly policies, but also in our unmatched connectivity with the Chinese Mainland and the rest of the world. This empowers us to serve as your "super connector" and "super value-adder".
Through Hong Kong, businesses gain access to the vast Chinese Mainland market, particularly the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, one of the most dynamic and economically integrated regions in the world. Hong Kong has a free trade deal with the Chinese Mainland, which is one of the most liberal of its kind, granting zero tariff treatment for Hong Kong products, and a range of preferential market access treatments for services providers in Hong Kong. Companies from all over the world, including those from Malaysia, can enjoy these benefits from the free trade deal, if they set up presence in Hong Kong.
For Malaysian companies, the Chinese Mainland is for no doubt a huge market not to be missed. Especially at times like this, everyone is talking about diversification. Apart from strengthening your operations in the local market, it is always good to tap the potentials from overseas markets, including the Chinese Mainland. Hong Kong has the knowhow and expertise to help Malaysian companies to navigate the Chinese Mainland markets. We have been doing it for a long time, and we are good at it.
The other way around, we are also supporting Chinese Mainland enterprises to go overseas via Hong Kong. We established the GoGlobal Task Force (Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global) last year to provide one-stop, customised support services to facilitate outbound direct investment into overseas markets, including Malaysia and beyond.
For Malaysia, our GoGlobal initiative will provide a platform of match-making – we bring to you what you need. If Malaysia wants high-value digital investment, we bring to you high-value digital investment. As simple as that. The Chinese Mainland enterprises will have a new market to work on; Malaysia will have the capital, new jobs and technology that come with these enterprises. We see new opportunities arising from such collaboration, which will translate into stronger bonding and mutual benefits. We see a win-win outcome for both countries.
This time in Malaysia, I have brought with me a business delegation from Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. They come from a range of sectors such as finance, professional services, healthcare, automobile and innovation and technology. We are here to talk about business, and more importantly, to make new friends. The "Think Business, Think Hong Kong" Symposium is an excellent occasion to foster dialogue and collaboration.
Looking ahead, I see new and exciting opportunities for Hong Kong and Malaysia to collaborate. In innovation and technology, Hong Kong is actively advancing fintech, artificial intelligence, and the digital economy, supported by a vibrant ecosystem of start-ups, investors, and world-class research institutions. We see strong potential to partner with the growing innovation landscape in Malaysia, which is becoming a competitive, innovation-driven economy, through your New Industrial Master Plan 2030 and other strategic policies. Hong Kong is ready to be your partner in that journey.
In Islamic finance, Malaysia is a global leader, while Hong Kong, as an international financial centre, is well positioned to support the development of Islamic capital markets. Recent memoranda of understanding between the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong and the Securities Commission Malaysia have opened up new avenues for co-operation, including cross-listing of Islamic bonds and the development of Islamic wealth management products.
For green and sustainable development, Hong Kong's growing green finance ecosystem can support sustainable infrastructure and energy transition projects in Malaysia and the region. The symposium today features dedicated discussions on sustainability and green innovation. This is an area where our businesses, innovators and policymakers can learn from each other and grow together, driving the transition to a low-carbon future.
The economic benefits flow two-way, in very real terms, between us. Our economic relationship speaks for itself. ASEAN has been our second-largest merchandise trading partner for the past 16 years. In 2025, our bilateral trade in goods grew an impressive 29 per cent, year on year, reaching US$214 billion. Malaysia stood as Hong Kong's third-largest trading partner among ASEAN member states. Our bilateral merchandise trade reached about US$34.8 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 27.4 per cent. Notably, around eight per cent of the total merchandise trade between Malaysia and the Chinese Mainland was routed through Hong Kong. These figures underscore the depth and strength of our economic linkages and demonstrate the strategic relationship between Hong Kong and Malaysia.
ASEAN is rapidly emerging as a major force in the global economy and is projected to become the world's fourth-largest economy by 2030. Hong Kong is deeply committed to deepening our engagement with this dynamic region. Our vision goes far beyond trade and investment figures. We see a future in which Hong Kong and Malaysia are not just trading partners, but strategic partners: partners in innovation, partners in sustainability, and partners in shaping the economies of tomorrow.
Thank you, and I wish you all a very productive and inspiring symposium.
Source: AI-found images
