Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Department of Health (DH) announced today (May 13) that the Community Dental Support Programme (CDSP) will be launched on May 26 to provide additional dental services to the underprivileged with financial difficulties, in addition to the existing dental grants under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme and the emergency dental services provided by government dental clinics. The CDSP is expected to provide a service capacity of at least double that of the current quotas of dental general public sessions (GP sessions) at government dental clinics (i.e. about 40 000 participants every year).
      
     At the end of last year, the DH invited eligible non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to participate in the CDSP to provide additional service points. To date, 32 NGOs (see Annex) have been assessed and are participating in the CDSP, providing nearly 80 dental service points covering all 18 districts in Hong Kong. At the same time, in addition to tooth extraction and pain relief services, the scope of dental services will expand and provide tooth filling services when deemed appropriate by dentists to encourage retaining tooth. Furthermore, compared to the current GP sessions which address one tooth per visit, participants under the CDSP can receive treatment for up to three teeth at each visit.  
      
     The Government, in December 2024, formulated the Oral Health Action Plan according to the development strategies and recommendations made by the Working Group on Oral Health and Dental Care. The CDSP focuses on providing subsidised dental services to the underprivileged who have difficulties in accessing dental care. Service users of the CDSP must be a holder of a Hong Kong identity card, be enrolled in the Electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHealth), and be a current beneficiary or recipient of any of the following measures:
 

• Old Age Living Allowance (OALA) of the Social Welfare Department (SWD);
• Community Care Service Voucher Scheme for the Elderly (level 2 of co-payment category) of the SWD;
• Integrated Home Care Services (Frail Cases) (IHCS (Frail Cases)), or Enhanced Home and Community Care Services (EHCCS) or Home Support Services (HSS) (Level 1 or Level 2 fee charge or co-payment category) of the SWD; or
• Patients of Hospital Authority (HA) who have been provided Medical Fee Waiver (full waiving and partial waiving) of the HA.

 
     Under the CDSP, each service user can apply for subsidised dental services which cover preventive and curative oral health and dental care services once every 180 days. Subject to the assessment by the attending registered dentist, a service user will be provided with specified subsidised dental services, including:
 

1. oral health assessment;
2. medication for dental pain relief (when necessary);
3. X-ray examination;
4. dental filling or extraction, with each tooth counted as a “Teeth Filling/Extraction Quota”.

     Each service user is required to pay an administration fee of $50 directly to the NGO for each tooth (teeth filling or teeth extraction services), of which a maximum fee of $150 is required (treatment for a maximum of three teeth will be provided for every 180 days). If the service user receives IHCS (Frail Cases), EHCCS or HSS (Level 1 fee charge or co-payment category) of the SWD, or is eligible under the Medical Fee Waiver (full waiving) of the HA (including recipients of OALA aged 75 or above), the Government will subsidise the administration fee in full. While current beneficiaries of the CSSA Scheme under the SWD may apply for the CDSP, they can also make use of the dental grants under the CSSA to receive comprehensive dental services.
      
     Through the eHealth app, service users can check their consultation records, including consultation date and treatment items. Later this year, relevant electronic oral health records will also be available through the app to help service users better understand and monitor their dental conditions.
      
     The DH is organising briefing sessions for the District Services and Community Care Teams (Care Teams) in various districts to introduce the background and details of the CDSP so that the underprivileged with financial difficulties in the community can better understand and participate in the CDSP through the Care Teams’ district networks.
      
     The DH has set up a dedicated webpage (www.communitydental.gov.hk/en/cdsp/) with a complete list of NGO dental clinics participating in the CDSP. Interested and eligible persons can visit the webpage starting from today, select and contact the clinic of their choice to make an appointment in advance for government-subsidised dental care services on or after May 26. Individuals who have questions about the eligibility for the CDSP should contact the registered social worker who is following up their case.
 
Optimising arrangements for dental general public sessions
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     On the other hand, the DH will increase the service quotas of the GP sessions by nearly 30 per cent from June onwards and optimise the registration process for the convenience of the public.
      
     The online registration system for dental general public session (ORDGP) has been operating smoothly since its launch on December 30, 2024. Members of the public, especially the elderly, no longer need to go to the dental clinics to queue up in the early morning to compete for a service quota. The DH further introduced an over-subscription ballot and waiting list mechanism to optimise the use of public resources. Since the launch of the ORDGP four months ago, the average utilisation rate of the GP sessions is as high as 99 per cent.
      
     Following the passage of the Dentists Registration (Amendment) Bill 2024 by the Legislative Council in July last year and introduction of new pathways for qualified non-locally trained dentists, the DH has made progress in dentist recruitment, with more than 65 new recruits, including nine non-locally trained dentists with limited registration. The actual manpower ratio of active dentists has increased from 69 per cent (as at September 1, 2024) to 81 per cent at present. With improved manpower supply, the DH will increase the total service quotas of GP sessions by about 30 per cent starting from next month.
      
     Furthermore, in order to make it more convenient for the general public in using the service, the ORDGP will introduce enhancements at the end of June to streamline the registration process, including real-time identity authentication by logging in to the “iAM Smart” or “eHealth” apps, an auto-complete function to minimise the need for repeated entries, the addition of an appointment cancellation function and an upgraded waiting list mechanism by replacing the current manual process with automatic distribution of service quotas from the waiting list. These enhancements will improve the operational efficiency of the ORDGP. Details will be announced in due course.

     The DH will implement the development strategies and recommendations made by the Working Group on Oral Health and Dental Care, and continue to help members of the public manage their own oral health through publicity, education, promotion and development of primary oral health and dental care, emphasising on prevention, early identification, and timely intervention to encourage people to retain their teeth. The DH will also focus on the provision of essential dental services to the underprivileged who have difficulties in accessing dental care services, including those with financial difficulties, persons with disabilities or special needs and high-risk groups, through public or subsidised models. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council Subcommittee on Policy Issues relating to Strengthening and Promoting the Development of Kowloon East as the Second Central Business District visited two enterprises in Kowloon East today (May 13) to gain insight into the Government’s latest developments in promoting new industrialisation and how these enterprises are actively upgrading and restructuring.

     Members first visited Sew Solution Limited, a textiles and clothing company in Kwun Tong, to learn about the operation and effectiveness of its digital knitwear smart production line. Members noted that the company received a $15 million funding in 2023 from the Innovation and Technology Commission’s Re‑industrialisation Funding Scheme (renamed as New Industrialisation Funding Scheme now) to establish a smart production line covering product design, digital simulation of samples, engineering parameters and programming. The funding helped it increase the overall equipment efficiency and reduce production costs.

     Members then visited King Bakery’s modern food factory in Kwun Tong to learn how the company leverages research and development to enhance product quality. Members received a briefing from the company’s representatives that it had introduced various specialised machinery for producing egg custard tart pastry, fillings as well as molten mooncake to optimise production processes and standards, and to monitor food quality simultaneously.

     During the visit, Members gained a deeper understanding into the challenges faced by traditional enterprises. They also exchanged views with representatives of the Development Bureau, the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, the Hong Kong Productivity Council and the enterprises on issues including how to support businesses in establishing smart production lines, promoting the “Made in Hong Kong” branding to meet market demands and providing updated information on the supply and conditions of industrial buildings in the district.

     Members who participated in the visit were the Chairman of the Subcommittee, Mr Tang Ka-piu, and Subcommittee members Mr Chan Pui-leung, Professor William Wong; as well as a non-Subcommittee member Mr Yim Kong.

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     The Acting Chief Executive, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, met the Governor of Hunan Province, Mr Mao Weiming, today (May 13) to exchange views on deepening Hong Kong’s co-operation with Hunan. Also attending the meeting were the Acting Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Clement Woo, and the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan.
 
     Mr Chan welcomed Mr Mao and his delegation to Hong Kong to organise an exchange conference promoting economic and trade co-operation between Hunan and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Mr Chan said that Hong Kong and Hunan have been maintaining close economic and trade relations, and Hong Kong has been a significant source of external investment and an important trading partner for Hunan. In the past year, Hong Kong established 208 foreign-invested enterprises in Hunan, and the total value of imports and exports between the two places reached about RMB56.3 billion. Many Hong Kong enterprises have investment projects in Hunan. He pointed out that under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong has the distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world. Hong Kong will fully leverage its strengths as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” to assist Hunan in expanding into international markets. He believes that the two places can complement each other’s strengths and achieve mutual success through collaboration.
 
     Mr Chan said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is determined to develop the low-altitude economy and has set up a working group to formulate the development strategy. Hunan is the first province in the country to pilot the opening of an entire low-altitude area, and possesses policy and industrial strengths. He believes that the two places can strengthen exchanges and co-operation in the field of low-altitude economy.
 
     Mr Chan also mentioned that after the commissioning of Express Rail Link service between Hong Kong and Changsha, the shortest travelling time between the two places was reduced to within three hours. With profound historical and cultural value, Hunan Province has become a popular travel destination for Hong Kong citizens. He also hoped that citizens of Hunan would visit Hong Kong more often to experience the charm of Hong Kong as an events capital, further promoting cultural exchanges between the two places. Hong Kong will continue to strengthen co-operation with Hunan in areas including trade, culture, tourism and youth exchanges, with a view to making greater contributions to the country’s development together.

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     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (May 13) that an aquatic product from a regulated Japanese prefecture was suspected to be in breach of the relevant Food Saf… read more

　　The Chinese Cultural Festival (CCF) 2025, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), will open in June with “Dongpo: Life in Poems”, a contemporary dance performance by the China Oriental Performing Arts Group. Directed by international acclaimed choreographer and visual artist Shen Wei, the production is inspired by the poetry and life of Su Dongpo, a literary master in the Song dynasty. The performance, to be staged in Hong Kong, as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchanges that boldly explores the integration of Chinese and Western arts, will showcase the remarkable talent and patriotic spirit of Su, while confidently presenting the beauty of traditional Chinese culture to the world. 

　　Su, a polymath in literature, calligraphy and painting in Chinese history, remains a celebrated figure 1 000 years later. His classic verses are still widely recited and resonate deeply today. “Dongpo: Life in Poems” goes beyond the usual linear narrative of dance drama. Instead, it revolves around 12 of Su’s poems that epitomise the poet’s life philosophy from over 3 000 works, while reinterpreting Su’s multifaceted legacy through contemporary dance. Divided into six acts, the selected poems, each of which touches on a different aspect of the poet’s life philosophy, are integrated to convey the poetic culture and texture with famous lines displayed onstage in calligraphic form. The poetic verses are about magnificent landscapes and graceful rivers, patriotic sentiments and timeless human nature and value. They range from the heroic emotion in “To the east, the Yangtze River constantly flows, bringing with its waves numerous ancient heroes” to the profound thoughts for his deceased wife in “Life and death have separated us for 10 years”; the world of compassion in “May all of us far apart be blessed with longevity”, and optimism in “I don’t mind leading a life in a raincoat”. By merging “cognitive essence” and “aesthetic realm”, this approach is designed to transcend linguistic barriers, allowing audiences to explore Su’s spiritual world through a contemporary lens. 

　　Upholding traditions while embracing innovation is the creative concept behind “Dongpo: Life in Poems”, the production uses contemporary dance as a form of expression, while deeply integrating various fine traditional Chinese culture elements, such as poetry writing, traditional Chinese painting, calligraphy, seal engraving, guqin, Chinese opera and martial arts in a pioneering manner. Through a multisensory experience of music, dance, poetry and painting, it distils the quintessence of Chinese classical philosophy and aesthetics, delicately deconstructing Su’s poetry and intellectual allure to immerse audiences in the poetic and pictorial elegance of the aesthetics of the Song dynasty. Meanwhile, the work features contemporary music together with live guqin tunes, as well as icons spanning different eras – from horse-drawn carriages and palanquins to bicycles and skateboards – creating a bold, innovative spectacle that transports audiences on a dialogue through time, as if stepping from antiquity into the present. 

　　The creative team of the production represents a gathering of top artists; in addition to Shen as the chief director, choreographer, visual director as well as stage set, costume and styling designer, he also serves as the playwright with Guo Changhong, a National Class One playwright. The team also includes Chen Qigang and Xiao Lihe, who were the music director and lighting designer respectively for the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The President of the China Calligraphy Academy, Yang Tao, designs calligraphy and seal carvings for the show. Associate Professor of the Dance Department of Beijing Normal University Su Peng, along with over 20 outstanding young performers from the China Oriental Song and Dance Troupe and the Meishan Song and Dance Theatre, as well as guqin virtuoso Professor of the Central Conservatory of Music Zhao Xiaoxia will come to Hong Kong to perform. The production has been staged in many Mainland cities since its premiere in Shanghai in July 2023, and was performed in New York and Washington, DC, early last year to critical acclaim.

　　The China Oriental Performing Arts Group, under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, is one of the most prestigious national art troupes, originating from the China Song and Dance Troupe, the Oriental Song and Dance Troupe as well as the China Light Music Troupe. It has nurtured numerous world-renowned artists, and has created and performed many fine art works that have been well received by local and overseas audiences. 

　　”‘Dongpo: Life in Poems’ by China Oriental Performing Arts Group” will be held at 7.30pm on June 13 and 14 (Friday and Saturday) at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre (HKCC). Tickets priced at $200, $260, $360, $460 and $560 are available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. Group booking discounts and package booking discounts are available for purchasing selected CCF stage programmes, the “Chinese Opera Film Shows” of the Chinese Opera Festival (COF) 2025 and the “Legacy and Vision: Conversations with Chinese Cultural Masters” lecture. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7323 or visit www.ccf.gov.hk/en/programme/dongpo-life-in-poems/. The programme is sponsored by the Agricultural Bank of China Limited Hong Kong Branch. 

　　In addition, a thematic exhibition will be held from May 28 to June 14 at the Foyer Exhibition Area of the HKCC. The exhibition will introduce Shen Wei’s paintings created for the programme and the creative process behind the scene. Admission is free. Members of the public are welcome to join on the spot. 

　　The programme will also feature a session under the “Chinese Culture for All: A Special Performance Series”, with an open rehearsal to be held at 2.15pm on June 13 at the Grand Theatre of the HKCC. Admission is free for local primary and secondary school students to encourage them to participate in cultural activities and experience the wonders of Chinese culture and arts. Interested schools can call 2268 7323 for details. 

　　The CCF, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office under the LCSD, aims to promote Chinese culture and enhance the public’s national identity and cultural confidence. It also aims to attract top-notch artists and arts groups from both the Mainland and other parts of the world for exchanges in Chinese arts and culture. The CCF 2025 will be held from June to September. Through different performing arts programmes in various forms and related extension activities, including selected programmes of the COF, “Tan Dun WE-Festival”, film screenings, exhibitions, as well as community and school activities and more, the festival provides members of the public and visitors with more opportunities to enjoy distinctive programmes that showcase fine traditional Chinese culture, thereby facilitating patriotic education and contributing to the inheritance, transformation and development of traditional Chinese culture in Hong Kong. For more information about programmes and activities of the CCF 2025, please visit www.ccf.gov.hk.

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