The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) supports IAM international art moves project to help young students from Hong Kong Baptist University's Academy of Visual Arts to present their visual arts exhibition "Pathfinder" to the Berlin audience from January 11 to 19, 2020 at the art centre Kunstquartier Bethanien.
 
     As one of 23 partners of IAM's extensive network, students from Hong Kong Baptist University are given the opportunity to display artworks in various forms from paintings, sculptures, photography, and prints to moving images and performances. In total 18 works interpreting how the past is associated with the future are exhibited.
 
     During a workshop in Hong Kong in May 2019, the students drew up curatorial plans for the upcoming exhibition under the supervision of IAM founders Anne and Martin Müller. Five students were nominated to travel to Berlin to conduct the set-up, exhibiting and dismantling process of the show. The workshop and the art exhibition provide a unique real life experience for Hong Kong's young art students to participate in and organise an intercultural exhibition project.
 
     At the opening ceremony of the exhibition on January 10, HKETO Berlin's Director Mr Bill Li expressed his support for cultural exchange between Hong Kong and Germany and commended the exhibition for allowing young creative talents to nurture their development through this international exchange. 
 
     Mr Li outlined the importance which the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) attaches to the development of creative industries. "Hong Kong has emerged as a leading design and innovation centre, and is home to a flourishing fashion and film industry. The city celebrates artistic expression and creativity. Its 14 public museums draw about 5 million visitors annually. Signature events such as the Art Basel Hong Kong have established themselves as trendsetters for the whole of Asia and beyond," he said.

     There are several projects and developments under way that help foster the arts sector even further. With inspiring projects like the West Kowloon Cultural District which is one of the world's largest cultural infrastructure projects, Hong Kong is continuously developing into a vibrant cultural place at the forefront of the global art scene. Also, the Hong Kong Museum of Art has recently undergone major refurbishment and reopened in November 2019.

     Creative industries in general are important economic drivers for Hong Kong, enhancing the economy's innovation capacity and driving its growth in future. With the aim of attracting highly qualified, talented professionals from around the world, the government has drawn up the Talent List which comprises 11 professions which receive facilitated access when settling to Hong Kong. As part of the Talent List, Hong Kong has a leading edge in key creative sectors such as arts, design, architecture, film, television, music, advertisement, animation, digital entertainment, and publishing.
 
     More information about the exhibition at the Kunstquartier Bethanien including opening hours can be found here: www.kunstquartier-bethanien.de
 
About HKETO Berlin

     HKETO Berlin is the official HKSAR Government representation in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in the Czech Republic as well as Austria, Germany, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.

    

     Police today (January 13) appealed to the public for information on a fatal traffic accident in Tai Po last night (January 12) in which a 52-year-old woman died.

     At about 8.50pm yesterday, when a bicycle ridden by a 15-year-old boy was travelling along the pavement outside Sun Wo House, Tai Wo Estate towards Tai Wo Market, it reportedly knocked down the 52-year-old female pedestrian.

     The woman was rushed to Prince of Wales Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at noon today.

     Investigation by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, New Territories North is underway.

     Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 3800.

     The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a work accident that happened at a construction site in Quarry Bay this afternoon (January 13), in which a male worker was trapped between the rear part of a mobile crane and the nearby railing. The worker was certified dead in hospital later. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathies to the victim's family.
 
     The LD's spokesman said, "We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the use of mobile cranes at the site area concerned. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risk have been taken."
 
     The spokesman added, "We will complete investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation."
 
     The general duty provisions of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and safe systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the above provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for six months.
 
     In regard to today's accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers' unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.
 
     The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees' compensation under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees' compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.
 
     For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, met the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, Mr Péter Szijjártó, and the President and Chairman of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Mr Jin Liqun, at Government House today (January 13), expressing her gratitude to them for accepting the invitation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to speak at the plenary session of the 13th Asian Financial Forum, themed "Redefining Growth: Innovation．Breakthrough．Inclusiveness", this morning.
 
     Accompanied by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, and the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, Mrs Lam met with Mr Szijjártó at noon. Mrs Lam thanked Mr Szijjártó for supporting the HKSAR Government's strict implementation of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle and a high degree of autonomy. Given that Hungary is Hong Kong's largest trading partner in Eastern Europe and the first European country to sign an intergovernmental co-operation agreement with China on the Belt and Road Initiative, Mrs Lam said Hungary is well positioned to become a regional hub in Central and Eastern Europe under the Belt and Road Initiative and added that there is much room for further co-operation between Hong Kong and Hungary in various aspects. She said the HKSAR Government is committed to opening new markets for Hong Kong enterprises and professionals. She encouraged them to explore opportunities in Hungary and also welcomed companies from Hungary to make use of Hong Kong’s unique edge as the gateway to Mainland China and the Asian market. Pointing out that Hong Kong's start-up ecosystem has skyrocketed in the past few years, Mrs Lam said that the city is a particularly suitable place for young entrepreneurs from Hungary for development opportunities.
 
     Mrs Lam, accompanied by Mr Lau, met Mr Jin in the afternoon. She thanked Mr Jin for his support all along for the active participation of the HKSAR as a member in providing professional and financial services for the work of the AIIB. Mrs Lam also expressed the hope that the AIIB will continue to leverage on Hong Kong's capital market, asset management professionals and variety of financial products to support its operation in various aspects including project finance, bond issuance, investment, financial management and foreign exchange management.

      

     The 13th Asian Financial Forum (AFF), co-organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, opened today (January 13). Featuring the theme of "Redefining Growth: Innovation．Breakthrough．Inclusiveness", the forum gathered policymakers and financial regulators, financial and business leaders, as well as investors and entrepreneurs to share their insights on how best to redefine and reshape economic growth by exploring innovations to achieve breakthroughs for the benefit of all.
 
     Addressing the opening session of the AFF this morning, the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, pointed out that Hong Kong's financial system remains stable and remarkably successful despite the challenges of global economic slowdown, trade disputes among major economies, geopolitical uncertainties and local issues over the past two years.
 
     "Our core competitiveness, and our status as one of the world's premier financial centres, continues to be internationally recognised," Mrs Lam said.
 
     She emphasised that Hong Kong, with its strategic regional location and its extensive, ever-deepening cultural and financial links with the Mainland, is China's international financial centre, contributing to the sustainable progress of the country, the region and the world.
 
     Noting that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development and the Belt and Road Initiative will ensure long-term prospects for Hong Kong's economy, she added, "Through these two national policies, Hong Kong will enhance its role as the business bridge between the Mainland and the rest of the world."
 
     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, in his welcome remarks at the keynote luncheon, highlighted the strengths of Hong Kong as a global financial centre underpinned by its solid linked exchange rate system, its fully convertible currency and the free flow of capital enshrined in Article 112 of the Basic Law.
 
     Mr Chan said Hong Kong's capital markets are deep and  liquid, the exchange rate remains stable and the banking system continues to run smoothly with ample liquidity, reflecting the integrity of the city's financial system and the confidence it conveys even in face of challenges.
 
     Citing Hong Kong's achievements in the financial services sector, he said the city would also step up efforts to capitalise on emerging opportunities not only from green finance and fintech but from the Greater Bay Area development and the Belt and Road Initiative.
 
     In the morning, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, chaired the plenary session on "Redefining Growth: Innovation．Breakthrough．Inclusiveness". Mr Lau shared insights with heavyweight policymakers on innovative ways of providing impetus to growth in the financial services sector, thereby contributing to enhancing inclusive development. Joining Mr Lau were the President and Chairman of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Mr Jin Liqun; the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, Mr Péter Szijjártó; and the Minister of Finance of Thailand, Dr Uttama Savanayana.
 
     Also among the highlights of the first-day programme was the luncheon keynote speech delivered by the former Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States, Dr Janet Yellen, during which she shared her perspectives on the policy framework of central banks and the implementation of monetary policy.
 
     Before the luncheon, a policy dialogue session was chaired by the Deputy Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Mr Arthur Yuen. Speakers included First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Russia, Mr Sergey Shvetsov; Member of the Executive Board of the Deutsche Bundesbank, Mr Burkhard Balz; and the Country Director for China and Mongolia, and Director for Korea of the World Bank Group, Mr Martin Raiser. They exchanged views on the global outlook and discussed how policymakers could support the economy and financial institutions amid the slowdown of global growth.
 
     To further promote the development of fintech, a FintechHK Start-up Salon was launched this year, featuring over 60 fintech start-ups showcasing their latest innovative solutions. The Fintech Showcase was also set up for the second time to allow international financial institutions and technology corporations to present innovative solutions to industry on-site.
 
     The forum also comprises Deal Flow Matchmaking Session, InnoVenture Salon and Fireside Chat for investors and industry players to explore co-operation and exchange ideas in a variety of subjects, including artificial intelligence, blockchain, WealthTech and green finance.
 
     The two-day forum will continue tomorrow (January 14), with a breakfast panel, a series of Innotalks and a keynote luncheon. As financial inclusion is a common developmental theme for developing countries, the keynote luncheon of the second day will feature the winner of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics, and Ford Foundation International Professor of Economics of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Professor Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee, as guest speaker to talk about the economic policies and financial inclusion progress in developing countries.