Tag Archives: China

     The celebrated Henan Provincial Shaolin Wushu Center will perform a martial arts theatre production, “Soul of Shaolin”, from July 11 to 13 to open the International Arts Carnival (IAC), a summer arts festival presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Fusing masterful kung fu techniques with sophisticated stagecraft, the programme unleashes the very essence of Shaolin martial arts while delivering a heartwarming story of family bonds.
 
     “Soul of Shaolin”, featuring more than 30 kung fu masters, will showcase breathtaking martial arts scenes consisting of boxing, weaponry and qigong to demonstrate the harmony between the spiritual wisdom and physical strength of Chinese kung fu. The theatre production has earned both Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations since its Broadway debut in 2009. After more than two decades of world touring, it is finally coming to Hong Kong and is not to be missed.
 
     The story revolves around young Huiguang, who has mastered kung fu skills at the famous Shaolin Temple. He has been working hard on his martial arts training and practicing kindness, but has always missed his long-lost mother. Unexpectedly, a woman he saves from danger is his mother, who he has been searching for all along.
 
     The Henan Provincial Shaolin Wushu Center was established in 1988 and is affiliated with the Culture and Tourism Department of Henan Province. Its performing troupe consists of over 200 kung fu masters, has performed in more than 80 countries and regions, and is gaining popularity among audiences both domestically and internationally.
 
     “Soul of Shaolin” will be held at 7.30pm on July 11 and 12, and 3pm on July 12 and 13 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre. Tickets priced at $250, $350, $450 and $520 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288, or use the mobile ticketing app “URBTIX”.
 
     The matinee at 3pm on July 12 is an accessible performance with audio descriptions in Cantonese. A touch tour will be provided prior to the performance for people with visual impairment and their companions. A meet-the-artist session, conducted in Putonghua with Cantonese interpretation, will also be held after this performance.
 
     The programme contains loud sound effects and action scenes. Performers have been professionally trained, and the audience is advised not to imitate their acts. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2370 1044 or visit www.hkiac.gov.hk.
 
     This year’s IAC will run from July 11 to August 17, featuring a wide array of fun-filled educational programmes by overseas, Mainland and local art groups and artists. In addition to martial arts, acrobatics, dance, music, theatre and multimedia, the IAC will also offer film screenings, parent-child workshops, an online programme, an outreach performance and an exhibition.
 
     “Soul of Shaolin” is also one of the programmes of the Chinese Culture Festival 2025.

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     The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, officiated at the unveiling ceremony of the Greater Bay Area Aircraft at Hong Kong International Airport today (June 2). The Greater Bay Area Aircraft, with the promotional design livery that reads “Leveraging Hong Kong’s Strengths, Developing a First-class Greater Bay Area”, will operate flights between Hong Kong and Mainland and overseas cities to promote the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and Hong Kong to the world.
 
     Following its earlier promotional efforts to reach out to the community through means of transportation such as buses, trams and ferries, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office (GBA Office) of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau is using an aircraft for the first time as a mobile display platform to further promote the Greater Bay Area to a global audience.
 
     Mr Tsang said, “The development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is the best entry point for Hong Kong to actively integrate into the overall national development. Hong Kong possesses the unique advantages of enjoying the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under the ‘one country, two systems’ principle, and a business environment that is highly market-oriented and internationalised, underpinned by the rule of law, free flow of capital, a comprehensive financial regulatory system, a simple and low tax regime, and a pool of global professional talent. All these have enabled Hong Kong to become a ‘super connector’, connecting the Mainland with the world, and leveraging its dual roles in going global and attracting foreign investment for the GBA.”
 
     Mr Tsang expressed his hope that the aircraft would serve as an “ambassador in the sky” to promote the Greater Bay Area, raising awareness of the latest developments of the GBA and Hong Kong’s role in connecting the Mainland with the world. He encouraged all sectors to capitalise on Hong Kong’s distinctive strengths to seize the enormous opportunities brought about by GBA development, thereby promoting the high-quality development of the GBA.
 
     The Greater Bay Area Aircraft mainly travels between Hong Kong and various destinations on the Mainland and in Asia. The airline’s unique positioning of being rooted in Hong Kong and radiating to the GBA, together with its main routes that closely connect the GBA and the international market, fully demonstrates Hong Kong’s role as the international gateway to the GBA.
 
     The Chief Executive Officer of Greater Bay Airlines, Ms Liza Ng, expressed her wholehearted support for this meaningful activity of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. Through daily flights to and from different cities, the vision of the GBA is promoted overseas, enabling more people to gain a deeper understanding and actively participate in the GBA’s development. The airline has been established in support of the national strategy of developing the GBA, and makes its contributions as Hong Kong fully leverages its distinctive advantages of having strong support from the motherland and enjoying close connections with the world as well as its status as an international aviation hub to integrate into the overall national development.
 
     Hong Kong residents, together with people and enterprises from the Mainland and abroad, will be able to catch a glimpse of the Greater Bay Area Aircraft at Hong Kong International Airport or when travelling on Greater Bay Airlines’ flights. The GBA Office will continue to disseminate the stories of the GBA through diversified channels, and encourage all sectors to actively seize the good opportunities that GBA development presents to develop the region into an international first-class bay area.

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     A 24-year-old man was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts today (June 2) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

     Through risk assessment and intelligence analysis, Hong Kong Customs intercepted an inbound private car, declared to be empty, at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port on August 10, 2024. Upon inspection, Customs officers seized a total of 29 000 sticks of duty-not-paid cigarettes from the doors, console box and rear of the vehicle. The 24-year-old male driver was subsequently arrested, and the private car was also seized. The estimated market value of the cigarettes seized in the case was about $150,000, and the duty potential was about $100,000.

     Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences. 

     Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years. 

     Customs will continue to combat cross-boundary smuggling activities with firm enforcement action.

     Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

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     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 1) detected a passenger drug trafficking case at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 18 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $15 million. A male and a female were arrested.

     A 22-year-old male passenger and a 16-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Johannesburg, South Africa, yesterday. During customs clearance, 18 packets of suspected cocaine weighing about 18kg in total were found inside their carry-on suitcases. The pair was subsequently arrested. An investigation is ongoing.

     Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.

     Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

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     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (June 2) reported the latest number of cases of Legionnaires’ disease (LD), and reminded the public of the importance of using and maintaining properly designed man-made water systems, adding that susceptible groups should strictly observe relevant precautions.

     From May 25 to 31, the CHP recorded three community-acquired LD cases. The details of the cases are as follows:
 

1. A 63-year-old male patient with good past health living in Yuen Long District;
2. A 74-year-old male patient with underlying illnesses living in Kwun Tong District; and
3. A 63-year-old male patient with underlying illnesses living in Eastern District.

     The CHP is conducting epidemiological investigations to identify potential sources of infection, high-risk exposure and clusters, if any.

     As of May 31, 53 LD cases had been recorded this year. In 2024 and 2023, there were 135 and 121 LD cases respectively.

     Men, people aged over 50, smokers, alcoholics and persons with weakened immunity are more susceptible to LD. Some situations may also increase the risk of infection, including poor maintenance of water systems; living in areas with old water systems, cooling towers or fountains; using electric water heaters, whirlpools and spas or hot water spring spas; and recent stays in hotels or vessels.

     Legionellae are found in various environmental settings and grow well in warm water (20 to 45 degrees Celsius). They can be found in aqueous environments such as water tanks, hot and cold water systems, cooling towers, whirlpools and spas, water fountains and home apparatus that support breathing. People may become infected when they breathe in contaminated droplets (aerosols) and mist generated by artificial water systems, or when handling garden soil, compost and potting mixes.

     Immunocompromised persons should:
 

• Use sterile or boiled water for drinking, tooth brushing and mouth rinsing;
• Avoid using humidifiers, or other mist- or aerosol-generating devices; and
• If using humidifiers, or other mist- or aerosol-generating devices, fill the water tank with only sterile or cooled freshly boiled water, and not water directly from the tap. Also, clean and maintain humidifiers/devices regularly according to manufacturers’ instructions. Never leave stagnant water in a humidifier/device. Empty the water tank, wipe all surfaces dry, and change the water daily. 

     
     The public should observe the health advice below:
 

• Observe personal hygiene;
• Do not smoke and avoid alcohol consumption;
• Strainers in water taps and shower heads should be inspected, cleaned, descaled and disinfected regularly or at a frequency recommended by the manufacturer;
• If a fresh-water plumbing system is properly maintained, it is not necessary to install domestic water filters. Use of water filters is not encouraged as clogging occurs easily, which can promote growth of micro-organisms. In case water filters are used, the pore size should be 0.2 micrometres (µm) and the filter needs to be changed periodically according to the manufacturer’s recommendations;
• Drain and clean water tanks of buildings at least quarterly;
• Drain or purge for at least one minute infrequently used water outlets (e.g. water taps, shower heads and hot water outlets) and stagnant points of the pipework weekly or before use;
• Seek and follow doctors’ professional advice regarding the use and maintenance of home respiratory devices and use only sterile water (not distilled or tap water) to clean and fill the reservoir. Clean and maintain the device regularly according to the manufacturer’s instructions. After cleaning/disinfection, rinse the device with sterile water, cooled freshly boiled water or water filtered with 0.2 µm filters. Never leave stagnant water in the device. Empty the water tank, keep all surfaces dry, and change the water daily; and
• When handling garden soil, compost and potting mixes: 

1. Wear gloves and a face mask;
2. Water gardens and compost gently using low pressure;
3. Open composted potting mixes slowly and make sure the opening is directed away from the face;
4. Wet the soil to reduce dust when potting plants; and
5. Avoid working in poorly ventilated places such as enclosed greenhouses.

     â€‹â€‹The public may visit the CHP’s LD page, the Code of Practice for Prevention of LD and the Housekeeping Guidelines for Cold and Hot Water Systems for Building Management of the Prevention of LD Committee, and the CHP’s risk-based strategy for prevention and control of LD. read more