The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met with the Secretary of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee, Mr Huang Qiang, at Government House today (May 19) to exchange views on co-operation and people-to-people exchanges between Hong Kong and Jilin. Also attending the meeting were the Acting Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Clement Woo, and the Director of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Carol Yip.
      
     Mr Lee welcomed Mr Huang and his delegation to Hong Kong for promotion activities on Jilin-Hong Kong economic and trade exchanges and Jilin's industries. Noting that Jilin serves as an important gateway for the country's northward opening-up under the Belt and Road Initiative, Mr Lee highlighted that Jilin boasts a robust industrial and manufacturing sector, particularly excelling in the manufacturing of automobiles and high-speed trains, of which Jilin's expertise is unmatched nationally. As a functional platform for the Belt and Road Initiative, Hong Kong will continue to play its role as a "super connector" and "super value-adder", fostering international exchanges and co-operation to assist Jilin and other Mainland provinces and cities in expanding to global markets, while attracting more external investment to the country.
      
     Mr Lee said that Hong Kong has long been the largest source of external investment in Jilin, with cumulative investments exceeding US$9 billion as of 2024. Additionally, Hong Kong's arts and youth groups have frequently visited Jilin in recent years for exchange activities, reflecting the close ties and deep friendship between the two places in areas such as economic and trade, culture and arts, and youth exchanges.
      
     He added that the launch of direct flights between Hong Kong and Changchun, Jilin Province, in December last year will further enhance economic, trade, and cultural exchanges between the two places, fostering people-to-people bonds. Hong Kong will continue to deepen its multifaceted exchanges and co-operation with Jilin, leveraging complementary strengths so the two places can jointly make greater contributions to the country's development.

  

     The Buildings Department approved 15 building plans in March, with three on Hong Kong Island, four in Kowloon and eight in the New Territories.
 
     Of the approved plans, eight were for apartment and apartment/commercial developments, one was for commercial development, one was for factory and industrial development, and five were for community services developments.
 
     In the same month, consent was given for works to start on 10 building projects which, when completed, will provide 74 150 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use involving 794 units, and 28 202 sq m of gross floor area for non-domestic use. The department has received notification of commencement of superstructure works for six building projects.
 
     The department also issued 23 occupation permits, with 10 on Hong Kong Island, eight in Kowloon and five in the New Territories.
 
     Of the buildings certified for occupation, the gross floor area for domestic use was 147 050 sq m involving 2 577 units, and 70 865 sq m was for non-domestic use.
 
     The declared cost of new buildings completed in March totalled about $8.6 billion.
 
     In addition, nine demolition consents were issued.
 
     The department received 3 299 reports about unauthorised building works (UBWs) in March and issued 676 removal orders on UBWs.
 
     The full version of the Monthly Digest for March can be viewed on the Buildings Department's homepage (www.bd.gov.hk).

     Piano maestro Mikhail Pletnev is returning to Hong Kong after a decade-long hiatus to give a recital at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre on June 17 with a curated selection of works. The recital marks the opening of this year's Great Music presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD). This is a one-night-only event that music lovers will not want to miss. 

     This recital programme covers Beethoven's "Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13, 'Pathétique'" and "Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2, 'Moonlight'", as well as a number of works from the "Lyric Pieces Book" by Grieg, including "Fedrelandssang (National Song)", "Berceuse (Cradle-Song)", "Bestemors menuett (Grandmother’s Minuet)", "Notturno", and more. 

     Pletnev is one of the most respected and influential artists of our time. His prodigious talent as a pianist, conductor, and composer has earned widespread acclaim ever since the 1978 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition, where he won First Prize at the age of 21. His recordings have earned numerous prizes, including a Grammy Award, a Diapason d'Or, an ECHO Klassik Award, a Choc du Monde de la Musique and a Gramophone Award. In 1990, Pletnev formed the Russian National Orchestra, the first independent orchestra in Russia's history. Over 30 years later, Pletnev has founded the Rachmaninoff International Orchestra, named after celebrated pianist, conductor and composer Rachmaninoff who devoted his lifelong career to inspire audiences from all corners of the globe. 

     "Piano Recital by Mikhail Pletnev" will be staged at 8pm on June 17 (Tuesday) at the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets priced at $320, $480, $620, $780 and $920 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. Package discounts will be available for purchasing tickets for the "Piano Recital by Mikhail Pletnev" and "Concert by The 12 Cellists of the Berliner Philharmoniker" (to be held on July 9). For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1830.html.

     A pre-concert talk entitled "Pletnev: The Piano Maverick" (in Cantonese) will be held at 6.45pm on June 17 at Level 4 Foyer Reception Area, Auditoria Building, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The speaker will be music critic Savio Lau. Admission is free, with limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis.

     The "Great Music 2025", presented by the LCSD, returns this year with star-studded performances running from June to November. Renowned musicians and ensembles from all over the world will come to Hong Kong to perform an array of programmes, showcasing the city as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. For more details, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/groups_1840.html.

    

     The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and the Hong Kong Film Development Council (FDC) led an industry delegation to participate in the 78th Cannes Film Festival in France. Themed "Hong Kong Cinema @ Cannes 2025", the CCIDA and the FDC collaborated with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to set up the Hong Kong Pavilion at the festival's film market and organised a series of activities to increase overseas exposure for Hong Kong film talents, supporting them to explore overseas film markets and collaboration opportunities. Members of the delegation included Assistant Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries and Secretary-General of the FDC, Mr Gary Mak; the Chairman of the FDC, Dr Wilfred Wong; the director, producer cum script-writer Juno Mak, actors Tony Leung and Louis Koo of the film "Sons of the Neon Night", as well as Hong Kong producers Polly Yeung, Ronan Wong, Eric Lim, Samuel Choy and Debbie Lam.

     The opening ceremony of the Hong Kong Pavilion at the Cannes Film Market was held on May 15 (Cannes time). In his speech, Mr Gary Mak expressed hope that through the array of promotional events organised during the festival, the CCIDA and the FDC could join hands with the Hong Kong film industry to promote the brand name of Hong Kong films to industry professionals and audiences around the world, so that the strength and charisma of Hong Kong films could shine on the international stage, and more opportunities for exchange with international counterparts could be seized. He also congratulated the Hong Kong film "Sons of the Neon Night" for being selected for the festival's "Midnight Screenings" section and was screened on the early morning of May 16 (Cannes time). After "Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In" was selected for the "Midnight Screenings" section last year, another Hong Kong film was chosen this year, which gives a boost to the brand name of Hong Kong films.

     During the festival, the CCIDA and the FDC organised a series of networking and cultural exchange activities to foster exchange and collaboration with international counterparts. Among these events, the "Hong Kong Night" networking reception was held on May 17 (Cannes time), which attracted over 800 film industry representatives and filmmakers from around the world.

     Other activities organised by the CCIDA and the FDC during the festival included seminars featuring filmmaker speakers from Europe, Asia and Hong Kong, as well as business matching sessions arranged for five Hong Kong producers to connect with their counterparts from Italy, Japan, Thailand, Korea, and France, facilitating exchange and collaboration between Hong Kong producers and their counterparts around the world. The Hong Kong producers were also subsidised to join the official Producers Network of the film market and participated in meetings, seminars and networking events, etc, deepening exchanges between filmmakers from Hong Kong and overseas as well as exploring more co-operation opportunities.

     During the festival, Mr Gary Mak and Dr Wong had meetings with film organisations, representatives from film festivals and filmmakers from around the world, including the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée of France, UNIJAPAN, Korean Film Council, Venice International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, German Federal Film Board, Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and the British Film Institute, etc, with an aim to strengthen international connections and explore overseas markets together with the film industry, bringing more outstanding Hong Kong films to audiences worldwide.

          

     Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident in Sau Mau Ping today (May 18) in which a man died.

     At about 9am, a public light bus (PLB) driven by a 78-year-old man was travelling along Ngau Tau Kok Road westbound. When approaching 297 Ngau Tau Kok Road, it reportedly knocked down a 75-year-old male pedestrian.

     Sustaining head injury, the man was rushed to United Christian Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 9.48am.

     The PLB driver was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and is being detained for enquiries.

     Investigation by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, Kowloon East is under way.

     Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 0264.