Hong Kong in Australia and New Zealand

【Hong Kong’s economy in Q2 2024🇭🇰📊】

The Hong Kong economy continued to record moderate growth in the second quarter of 2024. According to the advance estimates, real GDP grew by 3.3% in the second quarter of 2024 over a year earlier. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter basis, real GDP increased by 0.4%. Click the image to find out more🔎

Analysed by major expenditure component, total exports of goods continued to register strong growth, supported by the sustained external demand for goods. Overall investment expenditure rose further alongside the overall economic growth. However, exports of services saw moderated growth while private consumption expenditure turned to a slight decline, affected by the changes in consumption patterns of visitors and residents as well as the strength of the Hong Kong dollar.

Looking ahead, the economy should continue to grow in the remainder of the year, but performance of the different economic segments may vary amid uncertainties on various fronts. Exports of goods should sustain a positive performance if external demand holds up. Continued economic expansion should lend support to fixed asset investment.

As regards inbound tourism and private consumption, the Central Government's various measures benefitting Hong Kong, our strenuous efforts to boost market sentiment and improving employment earnings would provide support, but the changes in the consumption patterns of visitors and residents and the relatively strong Hong Kong dollar may continue to pose challenges.

Press release: https://bit.ly/3Wti33L

Brilliant Bronze! Congrats to Hong Kong swimming queen Siobhan Haughey, who won the bronze medal in the Women's 100m Freestyle Final in a time of 52.33 seconds at the . It is Siobhan's second bronze medal of the following her third place finish in the Women's 200m Freestyle earlier. Team Hong Kong, China has a total of 2 Gold and 2 Bronze medals at the Games so far. Well done Siobhan! 🥳🥉

Photos: SF&OC 港協暨奧委會

Stay informed with "Hong Kong Connect"

The July 2024 issue of our e-newsletter "Hong Kong Connect" is published, bringing you a monthly round-up of news and events in Hong Kong as well as Hong Kong-related business and promotional activities in Australia and New Zealand.

Details:
Hong Kong Connect: https://www.hkconnect.org.hk/2024/7/index.html
Subscribe to Hong Kong Connect: https://www.hkconnect.org.hk/2024/7/subscribe.html

Hong Kong ETO, Sydney

Ani-com & Games Hong Kong 2024

Thousands of fans flock to Ani-com & Games Hong Kong 2024 at the HKCEC (July 26-30), packed with anime, manga and cosplay attractions. Highlights include the Elefunpop Art & Toy Show, featuring the latest art toy figures and limited-edition items, the Canvas Project idol competition, where those with dreams of being in a Japanese girl band can showcase their talent, cosplay competitions, and the Comics Masters Gathering Hong Kong 2024. Fans can also enjoy performances by the popular Japanese dance group Avantgardey, an exciting E-sports carnival, a meet-and-greet with virtual idol Momosuzu Nene, a Gunpla Builders World Cup, and much more.

Gold strike 🥇! Hooray for Hong Kong fencing king Cheung Ka-long, who successfully defended his Men's Foil crown at the . Cheung scored a brilliant 15:14 victory over Italian fencer Filippo Macchi in the final, becoming the first Hong Kong, China athlete to win back-to-back Olympic titles, following his victory at the Tokyo Games. It's also the 3rd medal overall for the team so far. Congrats on your amazing achievement! 🥳🥳
Photos: SF&OC 港協暨奧委會
張家朗 Edgar Cheung Ka Long

Team Hong Kong, China strikes again at ! Congrats to star swimmer Siobhan Haughey on claiming the bronze medal in the Women's 200m Freestyle in 1:54.55. It's Hong Kong, China's second medal of the Games and Siobhan's third Olympic medal overall, following the two silvers that she won at the Tokyo Games. Well done Siobhan and wish you more medal success in the Olympic pool in Paris. 🤩
Photos: SF&OC 港協暨奧委會

Congrats to Golden Girl Vivian Kong! Fencing star Kong won Hong Kong, China’s first medal at the , striking gold in the Women's Épée Individual event (Jul 27, Paris time). She defeated France’s Auriane Mallo-Breton 13:12 in the final, delighting her many fans at home. Let's applaud Vivian and stay tuned to Brand Hong Kong for more Olympic updates!

Photos 1 – 6: SF&OC 港協暨奧委會

Kong 江旻憓

【Hong Kong’s Export Performance🆙】

According to the external merchandise trade statistics for June 2024 released on July 25, the values of Hong Kong's total exports and imports of goods both recorded year-on-year increases, at 10.7% and 9.0% respectively.

The value of merchandise exports continued to post double-digit growth in June 2024 over a year earlier. Exports to the Mainland, the United States and the European Union all grew visibly. Those to many other major Asian markets saw increases of varying degree. Find out more from the image🔎

For the first half of 2024 as a whole, the value of total exports of goods increased by 12.2% over the same period in 2023. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased by 7.7%. A visible trade deficit of $161.0 billion, equivalent to 6.9% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded.

Looking ahead, Hong Kong's export performance should stay positive if external demand holds up, but the escalating geopolitical and trade tensions will continue to bring uncertainties.

Press Release: https://bit.ly/3yd6wh2

As Spain celebrate their UEFA Euro 2024 triumph, one of the country's biggest clubs, Atlético de Madrid is gearing up for a pre-season tour match at the Hong Kong Stadium (Aug 7) against local side 傑志 Kitchee. As the penultimate warm-up game before the La Liga hotshots begin their domestic league campaign, it's sure to be a highly competitive and entertaining match in Hong Kong, Asia's events capital! 🎉⚽🔥

Still thinking of your future career destination?🧐 Have you ever thought of returning to Hong Kong to continue your medical journey?😃 Collaborating with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Sydney), this year again we have invited representatives from the Hospital Authority as well as the Department of Health of Hong Kong to share with us the career opportunities and registration processes of Australian medical school graduates back in Hong Kong, including hospital work and working in the public health sector. Sign up to the webinar via linktree or the QR code provided to explore the fascinating possibilities for your future career!🤩

Details of the event:
Date: 3 August 2024 (Sat)
Time: 14:00 -16:00 AEST/ 12:00 -14:00 HKT
Venue: Online via Zoom
Sign-up Link: https://forms.gle/6WmFNRw3RjNHbv9a7

Why did crowds flock to the Victoria Harbour waterfront last weekend (Jul 20)? Answering the call of Doraemon's latest gadget, the “100% friend summoning bell”, fans gathered to watch a massive drone show featuring Doraemon and his friends "flying" above the city. It was the second such show featuring 1,000 drones forming various scenes in a mesmerising 3D spectacle. Take a look!

Video: AllRightsReserved
Doraemon 100

“A Laugh at the World: James Wong” (Jul 17 - Feb 10, 2025) exhibition, rekindles the work of James Wong, one of Hong Kong's cultural giants, on the 20th anniversary of his passing. At the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, the exhibition of around 140 items and loan exhibits traces Wong’s illustrious career spanning music, film, television, advertising, literature and more during the Golden Era of Canto-pop spirit as part of the . 😎
康文＋＋＋
https://www.pcf.gov.hk/en/programmes/jameswong

A feast for bookworms! The Hong Kong Book Fair (July 17-23), this year themed Film and Television Literature and jam-packed with interesting events, is running at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Highlights include more than 600 cultural events on-site and off-site, including writers seminars and book launches and the World of Art & Culture, showcasing film and television literature from 31 countries and regions including Argentina, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Indonesia, Korea, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Spain and Switzerland, Vietnam and more, reinforcing Hong Kong's position as an East-meets-West Centre for International Cultural Exchange.

HKTDC 香港貿發局

【Visitor arrivals to Hong Kong✈️🇭🇰】

The June provisional visitor arrivals to Hong Kong reached 3.13 million, marking a 14% increase year on year. Cumulatively, about 21 million visitors arrived in Hong Kong in the first half of 2024, a 64% increase year on year. Among them, about 16.1 million visitors arrived from the Mainland, nearly a 60% year-on-year increase. Five million were non-Mainland visitors, representing an 80% year-on-year increase. Overnight visitors accounted for 50% of all visitor arrivals during the period, staying for 3.2 nights on average.

😊Level of satisfaction
Visitors were satisfied with their overall experience in Hong Kong. Overnight visitors rated Hong
Kong 8.7 out of 10 for satisfaction from January to May, and 94% of visitors said they intended to revisit and recommend Hong Kong to others.

❤️Popular places
According to the latest Hong Kong Tourism Board Departing Visitor Survey, the popular places visited by overnight visitors from January to May were:
🚩 Tsim Sha Tsui (including Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront Promenade, Avenue of Stars, Clock
Tower, Harbour, Star Ferry ride)
🚩 Temple Street/ Ladies' Market
🚩 The Peak (including Victoria Peak/ Peak Tram/ Peak Tower)
🚩 Hong Kong Disneyland
🚩 West Kowloon Cultural District (including M+, Hong Kong Palace Museum and Xiqu
Centre)
🚩 Hong Kong Observation Wheel at the Central Harbourfront
🚩 Wong Tai Sin Temple
🚩 Hong Kong Museum of Art
🚩 Ocean Park (including Ocean Park/ Water World Ocean Park)
🚩 Ngong Ping 360 (including Cable Car, Ngong Ping Village, Po Lin Monastery, Giant
Buddha, Heart Sutra/ Wisdom Path)

Details: https://bit.ly/3LsP5w1

Asian debut of historical French fashion✨! The 香港故宮文化博物館 Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) with the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris unveiled The Adorned Body: French Fashion and Jewellery 1770–1910 from the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris. Running at HKPM until Oct 14, The Adorned Body exhibition features nearly 400 stunning items of clothing, jewellery and accessories dating from the late 18th to the early 20th century. This is the first time the prestigious Paris museum’s comprehensive collection of historical French fashionwear is displayed in Asia. The exhibition is enhanced by trilingual audio guides narrated by singer and fashionista Karen Mok.

Reignite your childhood curiosity with Doraemon this summer☀️! The “100% DORAEMON & FRIENDS” Doraemon 100 Tour, one of the world's largest Doraemon exhibitions, is making its first stop in Hong Kong from Jul 13 - Aug 18 with the world's tallest inflatable Doraemon (12-metres tall) sculpture as well as a magnificent 100-meter-long “Blue Carpet” with comic-style standees. The much-loved Doraemon will use his new secret gadget, “100% Friends-Calling Bell” to summon fans from around the world to the city's famous landmarks: Avenue of Stars, Tsim Sha Tsui Harbourfront and K11 MUSEA. Get ready for the "call" and prepare to rediscover your inner child🔔!

Learn more: https://doraemon100.com/en
AllRightsReserved

Everybody is kung fu dancing🥋💃! Hong Kong's first major cross-disciplinary arts festival, "武林盛舞嘉年華 Kungfu x Dance Carnival 2024" (Jul 9 - 14) kicked off on a high note outside the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. An event of , the first day of the Carnival featured hundreds of professional performers as well as students demonstrating their skills and enthusiasm, to the delight of large crowds of spectators in Tsim Sha Tsui. Come and join the rest of the fiesta! 🙌

https://www.kungfu-dance.com.hk/en/our-programme-en/

Everybody is kung fu dancing🥋💃! Hong Kong's first major cross-disciplinary arts festival, "武林盛舞嘉年華 Kungfu x Dance Carnival 2024" (Jul 9 - 14) kicked off on a high note outside the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. An event of , the first day of the Carnival featured hundreds of professional performers as well as students demonstrating their skills and enthusiasm, to the delight of large crowds of spectators in Tsim Sha Tsui. Come and join the rest of the fiesta! 🙌
https://www.kungfu-dance.com.hk/en/our-programme-en/

The launch on Jul 10 of a new travel card to Mainland China received an enthusiastic welcome from Hong Kong's international business community, including the New Zealand and French Chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong, which hailed the move as a step towards closer cross-boundary trade and economic integration. Under the new arrangement, non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents can apply for the five-year permits to travel to the Mainland for business or pleasure multiple times, valid for stays of up to 90 days without the need to apply for a separate entry visa for each visit. Learn more:
https://www.news.gov.hk/eng/2024/07/20240710/20240710_155156_655.html?type=ticker&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2Zmxu-0nAI5trHeVWj1otyEfJK51DGV6FSSXzQCTy4dQQdBLzSbAbHonE_aem_n9rl06ZwOUW0cfHjMKMD5w
政府新聞網

Countdown to ! In two weeks' time, a total of 35 athletes will represent Hong Kong, China in 34 events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (Jul 26 - Aug 11), with more than half of the athletes making their debut on the Olympic stage. The athletes' final countdown to the Games started on Jul 9 with a flag presentation ceremony. Let's cheer for the athletes! Follow Brand Hong Kong for more Olympic updates. 🙌

Photo 2 - 4: SF&OC 港協暨奧委會

We're counting down the days until Convergence hits the stage at Seymour Centre for three shows of striking Chinese dance and martial arts brought to you by Hong Kong Dance Company 香港舞蹈團

A limited number of $20 rush tickets have been made available - secure yours now using code CON24 👉 https://convergencetour.com.au/

A legacy built to last! Don't miss 'I.M. Pei: Life Is Architecture', the first large-scale retrospective of the legendary architect's work at +, West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong (till Jan 5, 2025). Featuring over 400 archival items, models, and objects in 6 thematic sections, the exhibition explores Pei's vision and inspiration for designing some of the world's most iconic buildings, including the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong as well as the modernisation of the Grand Louvre in Paris, the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, and many more.

https://www.mplus.org.hk/en/exhibitions/i-m-pei-life-is-architecture/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3lfI6uhMwDA6Xp5GlugO-HcdZljfAcL0EV1WRALyLD-kF1fCyAqRmb2iE_aem_WtsUO71xSJkT5rEaNB2zmA

The International Arts Carnival IAC 國際綜藝合家歡 (Jul 5 - Aug 11) promises an exciting range of performing arts and interactive educational programmes by local and international art groups this summer☀️. So get ready for fun and creativity with acrobatics, magic, dance, music, theatre, puppetry and more. 🤹🎭

Learn more: https://www.hkiac.gov.hk/2024/en/onsite.html

康文＋＋＋

The “patent box” tax incentive effective now

The “patent box” tax incentive in Hong Kong has been implemented with effect from 5 July 2024 to provide tax concessions for qualifying profits sourced in Hong Kong and derived from eligible intellectual properties created through research and development activities. Taxpayers now can apply for the “patent box” tax incentive starting from the year of assessment 2023/24.

Find out more on the five key main areas that the “patent box” tax incentive covers: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/05/P2024070500186.htm?fontSize=1

IRD : Tax Concessions for Intellectual Property Income – Patent Box Regime Intellectual property has become an essential capital for enterprises in a knowledge-based economy.  Encouraging the industrial and research and development (R&D) sectors as well as the creative industries to create and exploit intellectual property will stimulate and promote the development of int...