SCST Celebrates the Opening of Jockey Club Hoops Connect Community Basketball Programme to Foster Local Youth Basketball Development

2026-09-07 17:38 Last Updated At：18:01

Speech by SCST at kick-off ceremony of Jockey Club Hoops Connect Community Basketball Programme

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, at the kick-off ceremony of the Jockey Club Hoops Connect Community Basketball Programme today (September 7):

Dear Winfried (Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges), Mr Yao Ming (Founder and Chairman of the YAO Foundation), Dr Axel Schweitzer (President and Owner of ALBA BERLIN Basketball), Mr Andreas Zagklis (Secretary-General of the International Basketball Federation), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,

Good afternoon and it is indeed my real pleasure to join you today for the kick-off of the Jockey Club Hoops Connect Community Basketball Programme.

As Winfried said, basketball is one of Hong Kong's most beloved sports, transcending age and district – from children picking up a ball for the first time to seniors staying active in our neighbourhood courts. The Hoops Connect Community Basketball Programme represents a model of international collaboration, blending best practices from around the world to enrich the lives of young people. ALBA BERLIN brings a European youth development system that is as committed to personal growth as it is to athletic skill, while the YAO Foundation has pioneered the use of basketball as a tool for holistic education across the Chinese Mainland - embracing the philosophy of "moving from teaching basketball to educating through basketball" ().

I am delighted to see the Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, and the Hong Kong Playground Association skilfully adapting these proven models into a curriculum tailored for Hong Kong. By integrating structured training, regular competitions, and activities focused on leadership and character building including camps and volunteer service, this programme ensures that we are not just teaching dribbling and shooting; we are building the character and resilience of our teenagers.

Equally commendable is the partnership between the Chinese YMCA and ALBA BERLIN to train the next generation of coaches. This kind of capacity building is exactly what will sustain basketball development in Hong Kong for years to come. I look forward to seeing this five-year programme generate strong synergies with other basketball initiatives across the community, inspiring even more young people to discover a lasting passion for the sport.

The Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) Government remains steadfast in its commitment to sports development, guided by five key policy directions: promoting sports in the community, supporting elite sports, maintaining Hong Kong as a centre for major international sports events, enhancing professionalism, and developing sports as an industry. In basketball, our Development Programme for Team Sports provides dedicated funding to strengthen the Hong Kong, China Basketball Team and its second-tier squad. Furthermore, from this month through December, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will stage six thematic sports days across the city, featuring basketball, football, and volleyball. This aligns closely with our country's national drive to elevate the "three major ball games" and encourage every citizen to participate.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for its generous support. Last September, I had the pleasure of officiating at the launch of its Jockey Club Believe & Bounce Basketball Programme. Today, the Hoops Connect initiative carries that commitment forward and works hand in hand with the Government's continuous efforts to promote sports in the community.

Before I close, I invite everyone to stay tuned for the Asian Games, which will commence later this month. Some 580 Hong Kong, China athletes will compete in nearly 40 sports, including women's 5-on-5 and men's 3-on-3 basketball. Please do join me in cheering them on as they take to the international stage.

Congratulations once again on today's launch. May Hoops Connect truly live up to its name – may the hoop bring our youth together and nurture our next generation of basketball talent. Thank you.

Hong Kong Launches B&R Green Development Platform to Enhance International Cooperation and Sustainable Technology Exchange

HKSAR fully integrates into Green Belt and Road development

To strengthen the promotion of green cooperation under the Belt and Road (B&R), the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) have established a B&R Green Development Co-operation Platform. By connecting with the network of the International Green Development Coalition for the Belt and Road Regions (IGDC), the platform facilitates exchange and cooperation among B&R countries and regions in green technology, policy and capacitybuilding. The Second General Assembly of Members of the IGDC was held today (October 25) in Hong Kong.

Under the "One Country, Two Systems", HongKong has the distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world. The IGDC's decision to hold the annual meeting in HongKong helps members access international markets, deepen international cooperation and expand a global partnership network, and reflects the IGDC's recognition of HongKong's bridge-building role in the green B&R Initiative.

At this year's annual meeting, the Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui, was elected as a council member of the IGDC. Sino Group and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited were admitted as the IGDC's new member organisations, together with Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency (IGDC member of year 2025), further strengthening the IGDC's collaborative capacity in HongKong.

Dr Chui said at the meeting that HongKong has been actively serving the roles of "super connector" and "super valueadder", providing a platform for linking green technologies, green finance and green standards. Relying on its sound legal system, professional services and internationaloriented business environment, HongKong can assist B&R countries in advancing their green transition.

Dr Chui added, "The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has consistently taken concrete actions to participate in the green B&R Initiative. We have successfully implemented a number of works this year, including the establishment of the B&R Green Development Co-operation Platform in HongKong with the IGDC, the set up of the B&R sustainable green development training centre, and the organisation of the B&R Green Innovation Conference 2026 which will open tomorrow. This year's innovation conference is the first time to be held outside the Mainland. HongKong will continue to leverage its strengths and contribute to the nation's high-quality co-construction of green B&R."

As a new member of the IGDC, Sino Group attaches great importance to and actively supports the national B&R green development strategy, and is committed to promoting green technological innovation and synergistic collaboration among industry, academia, and research sectors. The Group is planning to collaborate with the EEB of the HKSAR Government to establish an Asia-Pacific B&R green technology center for industry, academia, and research in the Northern Metropolis as a training, exchange and exhibition platform, showcasing green technology prototypes and innovative achievements from members of the IGDC, covering fields such as marine technology. It will foster deep integration across industry, academia, and research sectors, transform technological outcomes, align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan to contribute to the green B&R Initiative, and leverage Hong Kong's unique strengths as a "super connector."

The IGDC was jointly initiated and established by the MEE and partners from the Mainland and overseas. It aims to build an international consensus on green development, and to initiate open, inclusive and mutually beneficial international cooperation and action on green development. By providing implementing pathways such as promotable sustainable technical solutions, verifiable green finance instruments, sharable digital and intelligent empowerment platforms and replicable capacity building paradigms, it aims to help promote sustainable development and build a clean and beautiful world together.

SCST Celebrates the Opening of Jockey Club Hoops Connect Community Basketball Programme to Foster Local Youth Basketball Development

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