HKETO Events
Event Gallery
HKETO supports the 2025 Australian Dragon Boat Championships
HKETO supports the Australian Dragon Boat Championships (AusChamps) held in Penrith from 26 April to 1 May to showcase Hong Kong’s vibrancy and distinctive cultural heritage. ...Organised annually by the Australian Dragon Boat Federation since 1996, the AusChamps has attracted more than 2 500 paddlers from across Australia to compete for national titles. This year's event is extended to six days for the first time, making it the largest edition to date. Two of the 2,000-metre races were named the "HKETO Premier Open Standard" and the "HKETO Premier Open Small Boat", with the Director of the Sydney ETO, Mr Ricky Chong, presenting medals to the winning teams.
Speaking at the Welcome Function, Mr Chong highlighted the deep cultural roots of dragon boat racing in Hong Kong and the city’s ongoing efforts to promote sports tourism. He also outlined major upcoming international events to be hosted at the new Kai Tak Sports Park, including the Volleyball Nations League in June, the Hong Kong Football Festival in July and the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS) Hong Kong in October. Mr Chong reaffirmed HKETO’s commitment to supporting dragon boat events in Australia, reflecting the enduring ties and strong community spirit between Hong Kong and Australia.
HKETO brings Cantonese opera to Australian audiences
HKETO proudly supported the Sing Fai Cantonese Opera Promotion Association in staging two performances of "Sing Fai Sydney Cultural Exchange: Advancing the Cantonese Opera Heritage" in Sydney on Good Friday (18 April) to showcase the charm of Cantonese opera to Australian audiences, ...with a view to promoting cultural exchange between Hong Kong and Australia. The performances featured over 20 Hong Kong young performers, and their excellent skills and passion for Cantonese opera left a lasting impression on the 700 audience. In her welcoming remarks, the Head of Public Relations of HKETO Sydney, Ms Jane Liu, said that the Government attaches great importance to the development of Cantonese opera and has all along been providing active support to the transmission, study, promotion and continuous development of Cantonese opera. She also highlighted Hong Kong's role as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange under the National 14th Five-Year Plan, and added that the Government will continue to make every effort to establish world-class cultural facilities and a pluralistic cultural environment.
USLW and HKTE in Australia to promote Hong Kong as international talent hub
The Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare (USLW), Mr Ho Kai-ming, accompanied by the Director of Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE), Mr Anthony Lau, visited Australia to promote Hong Kong’s strengths and opportunities for talents, as well as the various talent admission schemes ...On 19 March, the Director of HKETO Sydney, Mr Ricky Chong, attended the Big Meet Careers Fair at the International Convention Centre Sydney, where he visited the HKTE booth. Mr Chong, together with Mr Ho and the HKTE team, engaged with undergraduates and recent graduates, highlighting Hong Kong’s advantages as an international talent hub, and shared updates on the latest enhancements to the Talent List and the settlement support services provided by HKTE.
Director of HKETO Sydney Visits Hong Kong Artist Hikoko Ito's Exhibition
The Director of HKETO Sydney, Mr Ricky Chong, attended a preview of Happy Birthday 2U2, an exhibition by Hong Kong-based Japanese artist and architect Hikoko Ito, at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney on 14 March 2025. ...
Happy Birthday 2U2 is an interactive installation featuring 366 artistic motifs inspired by the Chinese character for "happiness". The exhibition also includes over 6,000 hand-drawn birthday cards from Hong Kong students, fostering cultural exchange between Hong Kong and Australia.
Mr Chong welcomed Hikoko Ito to Sydney and expressed his delight in seeing Hong Kong artists showcase their talents and artworks to local audiences in Australia. He reiterated the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s commitment to supporting artists and arts groups in showcasing their work internationally, further strengthening Hong Kong’s position as a vibrant hub for East-meets-West cultural exchange.
The Happy Birthday 2U2 exhibition will be held at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Naala Nura Building until 17 August 2025. Visitors are invited to take part in a unique experience—receiving a birthday wish inside a handmade card, crafted by someone who shares their birthday but whom they’ve never met.
Reception held in Auckland to celebrate the Year of the Snake
HKETO Sydney hosted a reception in Auckland, New Zealand on 25 February to celebrate the Year of the Snake, welcoming over 150 guests from various sectors. ...Addressing the reception, the Director of HKETO Sydney, Mr Ricky Chong, said that Hong Kong is investing heavily to enhance its world-class infrastructure, and the new Kai Tak Sports Park is a prime example that will firmly put Hong Kong on the map as a global hub for major international sports and entertainment events. Mr Chong added that the world's famous Hong Kong Sevens will be held at the new Kai Tak Stadium from 28 to 30 March. He also noted that New Zealand won both the men's event and women's event last year, seizing their 13th and 12th titles in Hong Kong respectively.
VIPs joining the reception included the Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Auckland, Mr Chen Shijie; Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Forestry, Minister for Trade and Investment and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Todd McClay; and the Mayor of Auckland, Mr Wayne Brown.
The guests also enjoyed a music performance featuring Hong Kong teenagers in New Zealand. The reception in Auckland marked the conclusion of Chinese New Year celebration events hosted by HKETO Sydney in different cities across Australia and New Zealand.
HKETO supports Hong Kong artists thriving at Adelaide Fringe
HKETO is supporting contemporary art platform Hong Kong Soul to stage four Hong Kong performance programmes at the Adelaide Fringe from 21 February to 10 March, ...showcasing Hong Kong's unique East-meets-West art culture and the talent of Hong Kong artists. Hong Kong Soul is featuring two indoor programmes at the Adelaide Fringe, namely the award-winning physical theatre performance "No Dragon No Lion" by TS Crew, "Echoes of Silence: A Percussion Multimedia Odyssey" by Toolbox Percussion, as well as street performances by flow artist Lai Yee and freestyle football performer Lyson Sze.
Speaking at the premiere show of "No Dragon No Lion" on 21 February, the Director of HKETO Sydney, Mr Ricky Chong, said that HKETO is pleased to see Hong Kong Soul making its debut at Adelaide Fringe 2025. He added that the Government is committed to developing the arts, culture and creative industries, with substantial resources provided to support arts and cultural groups and artists.
Reception held in Adelaide to celebrate the Year of the Snake
HKETO hosted a reception in Adelaide on 20 February to celebrate the Year of the Snake, welcoming over 100 guests from various sectors. ...Addressing the reception, the Director of HKETO Sydney, Mr Ricky Chong, noted that Hong Kong and South Australia (SA) share a robust relationship grounded in trade, innovation, and cultural exchange. SA, renowned for its agricultural excellence and high-quality food and beverage exports, has found a valuable partner in Hong Kong, where demand for premium products is ever-growing. Mr Chong also shared with guests Hong Kong’s recent reduction of liquor duties, noting that with Hong Kong’s strategic location, world-class storage facilities and renowned wine and liquor auctions, the reduction of liquor duties creates new opportunities for market expansion by SA’s vibrant alcohol industry.
VIPs of the reception included the Consul-General of the People's Republic of China Li Dong, Minister of Trade and Investment Joe Szakacs MP (representing the Premier of SA) and Councillor David Elliott (representing the Lord Mayor of Adelaide).
The guests also enjoyed an excerpt of the performance of No Dragon No Lion by TS Crew, as well as performances by flow artist Lai Yee and freestyle football performer Lyson Sze, all coming from Hong Kong.
Reception held in Perth to celebrate the Year of the Snake
HKETO hosted a reception in Perth on 18 February to celebrate the Year of the Snake. ...Addressing the guests, the Director of HKETO Sydney, Mr Ricky Chong, said that Hong Kong and Australia share an exceptional bond, with Hong Kong as Australia’s 5th largest source of total foreign investment in 2023, and at the same time, Australia’s 10th largest investment destination. He highlighted the encouraging results of the different talent schemes, with 430 000 applications received, 270 000 of them approved and 180 000 talents already arrived in Hong Kong in the past two years. Mr Chong reiterated that under “One Country, Two Systems”, Hong Kong has continued to thrive as a global business hub, with abundant opportunities waiting to be grasped.
Other VIPs joining the reception included the Consul-General of the People's Republic of China in Perth, Mr Long Dingbin, and Minister for Mines and Petroleum; Ports; Road Safety; Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport of Western Australia, Mr David Michael, representing the Premier of Western Australia.
Reception held in Brisbane to celebrate the Year of the Snake
HKETO hosted a reception in Brisbane on 13 February to celebrate the Year of the Snake, welcoming around 130 guests from various sectors. ...Addressing the reception, the Director of HKETO Sydney, Mr Ricky Chong, noted the strong and enduring relationship between Hong Kong and Queensland. He highlighted that Hong Kong companies could play a significant role in the 2032 Summer Olympics in Brisbane by leveraging their expertise in infrastructure, technology, finance and hospitality. Mr Chong cited the newly completed Kai Tak Sports Park as a vivid example of successful collaboration between Hong Kong and Queensland, with the Queensland architecture firm Populous being one of the designers. Mr Chong stressed that with Hong Kong serving as the "super-connector" with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Mainland China, the opportunities for Australian businesses are unprecedented. Other VIPs joining the reception included Deputy Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Brisbane Yang Chen-qi, Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training of Queensland Ros Bates (representing the Premier and the Treasurer), Deputy Chair of Brisbane City Council Steven Huang (representing the Lord Mayor of Brisbane) and a number of members of the Parliament of Queensland.
Sydney Lunar New Year Dragon Boat Festival 2025
HKETO showcased Hong Kong's vibrancy at the Sydney Lunar New Year Dragon Boat Festival held at the beautiful Darling Harbour of Sydney from 7 to 9 February! ...Four races were named the "Hong Kong Talent Cup", the "Hong Kong Innovation Cup", the "Hong Kong Future Cup" and the "HKETO Government Industry Challenge" to promote Hong Kong's vibracy. The Hong Kong team won the second place in the Government Industry Challenge! Medals were presented by the Director of the HKETO Sydney, Mr Ricky Chong, who also attended the opening ceremony of the Festival to share the joy with all peddlers, guests and visitors.
HKETO set up a marquee at the venue to promote the latest developments in Hong Kong, in particular the exciting mega events held in the city and various talent attraction initiatives rolled out by the Government. The souvenirs from Hong Kong were very popular and were all gone before closing!
HKETO also displayed Hong Kong-themed banners with new year greetings in major locations across Sydney during the festive period to convey our best wishes to the local community.
HKETO supports Hong Kong String Orchestra to showcase Hong Kong's music excellence
HKETO proudly supported the Hong Kong String Orchestra (HKSO) in staging five wonderful music concerts in Adelaide, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne during 31 January to 7 February to celebrate Chinese New Year, ... showcasing Hong Kong's music excellence as well as telling the good stories of Hong Kong. More than 4 000 audiences across Australia enjoyed the extraordinary performances of the HKSO.
To welcome the HKSO's maiden tour to Australia, HKETO hosted a reception before the concert at the iconic Sydney Opera House on 2 February. The Director of HKETO Sydney, Mr Ricky Chong, said in his welcoming remarks that the HKSO's performance is a wonderful testament to the strong and enduring ties between Hong Kong and Australia. He also introduced to the guests the Hong Kong Government's vision of developing Hong Kong into a premier tourism destination through innovative thinking.
HKSO's performances in Australia included an exclusive afternoon concert at the Theatrette of the Parliament of New South Wales (NSW) on 3 February. This first-ever collaboration among the Parliament of NSW, the Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Sydney and HKETO marked a significant milestone in the cultural exchange between Hong Kong and Australia through the power of music.
Reception held in Melbourne to celebrate the Year of the Snake
HKETO hosted a reception in Melbourne on 6 February to celebrate the Year of the Snake, welcoming around 140 guests from various sectors. ...
Addressing the reception, the Director of HKETO Sydney, Mr Ricky Chong, said that the snake symbolises resilience, agility, and the ability to seize opportunities, which resonate deeply with both Hong Kong and Australia. He said that the trade, investment, culture and people-to-people bonds between Australia and Hong Kong continue to thrive, and Victoria, in particular, has long been a significant partner for Hong Kong in the finance, trade, tourism, and education sectors. With Hong Kong serving as the "super-connector" with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Mainland China, the opportunities for Australian businesses are unprecedented.
Consul-General of the People's Republic of China in Melbourne Mr Fang Xinwen, Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier Mr Tim Richardson and Lord Mayor of the City of Melbourne Mr Nicholas Reece graced the reception and reiterated the importance of cooperation between Hong Kong and Victoria in their speeches. The Chairman of the M+ Board, Chairman of the Tai Kwun Culture and Arts Company Limited and Vice Chairman of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Board, Mr Bernard Chan, attended the reception as the keynote speaker to share with the guests the development history of two magnificent arts and cultural projects in Hong Kong - the West Kowloon Cultural District and Tai Kwun.
The reception was perfectly concluded by the wonderful music performed by the Hong Kong String Orchestra.
Director of HKETO Sydney attended the Chinese New Year Business Networking Lunch organised by the Victoria Chapter of the Hong Kong Australia Business Association
The Director of HKETO Sydney, Mr Ricky Chong, attended the Chinese New Year Business Networking Lunch organised by the Victoria Chapter of the Hong Kong Australia Business Association on 6 February. ...Addressing some 80 participants, Mr Chong said that Hong Kong and Victoria share a strong and long-standing relationship, built on trade, investment, and deep people-to-people connections. Both Hong Kong and Melbourne are centres of innovation, entrepreneurship, and cultural exchange. Many Victorian businesses have chosen Hong Kong as their gateway to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Ares, as well as Mainland China and Asia, making Hong Kong home to a vibrant Australian business community.
The Chairman of the M+ Board, Chairman of the Tai Kwun Culture and Arts Company Limited and Vice Chairman of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Board, Mr Bernard Chan, also attended the event and gave the audiences an update on the development of two magnificent arts and cultural projects in Hong Kong - the West Kowloon Cultural District and Tai Kwun.
The speeches were followed by candid exchanges with the participants over traditional dim sums.
Reception held in Sydney to celebrate the Year of the Snake
HKETO hosted a reception in Sydney on 4 February to celebrate the Year of the Snake, providing a joyful platform for networking and reinforcing connections while ushering in the Chinese New Year with prosperity and good fortune. ...
Addressing over 300 guests at the reception, the Director of the HKETO Sydney, Mr Ricky Chong said that both Hong Kong and Australia embrace free trade, rule of law, and multiculturalism as core values, under which our bilateral trade, investment and people-to-people ties flourish. New South Wales, in particular, has long been a significant partner for Hong Kong in the finance, trade, tourism, and education sectors. Mr Chong added that with Hong Kong serving as the “super-connector” with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Mainland China, the opportunities for Australian businesses are unprecedented.
The Chairman of the M+ Board, Chairman of the Tai Kwun Culture and Arts Company Limited and Vice Chairman of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Board, Mr Bernard Chan, attended the reception as the keynote speaker to share with the guests the vibrant arts and cultural scenes in Hong Kong. Other VIPs at the reception included the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Sydney, Mr Wang Yu; Assistant Speaker and Member of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales (NSW), representing the Premier of NSW, Mr Jason Li and Councillor of the City of Sydney, representing the Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney, Mr Robert Kok.
The event also featured a lucky draw, with the grand prize being a round-trip air ticket between Hong Kong and Sydney (special thanks to Cathay Pacific), adding excitement to the evening. The reception was concluded by a captivating musical performance that beautifully blended Eastern and Western elements, symbolising the cultural harmony and strong ties between Hong Kong and Australia.
Hong Kong Life Planning Association visited Hong Kong House
HKETO received the delegation of Australia Exchange and Experience Programme organised by the Hong Kong Life Planning Association at Hong Kong House on 6 January. ...The Deputy Director of HKETO Sydney, Mr Timothy Chau, gave the students an introduction on the work of HKETO, including the past and upcoming events, as well as its work on investment promotion and talent attraction. Mr Chau said that HKETO aims to promote Hong Kong in Australia and New Zealand and develop collaborative relationships between Hong Kong and the two countries. The delegation also had a tour in Hong Kong House to learn about the history of the building.
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