ENG-2017 — Page 30

Calendar of Events

2017

25

27

30

The General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Mr Xi Jinping, says in his report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC that the central government will continue to support Hong Kong in integrating its own development into the overall development of the country.

The Ministry of Finance issues US$2 billion of US-dollar sovereign bonds, with five- and 10-year tenors, the first such issuance in Hong Kong after its return to China.

Sophia, designed by Hong Kong company Hanson Robotics, is granted Saudi citizenship, the first robot to hold citizenship in any country.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Macao Special Administrative Region CEPA is signed, providing enhanced legal certainty to market access or treatment in each other's territory.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing closes the securities market's trading hall, in operation since 1986, ending 126 years of floor trading in the city. The premises are to reopen in the first quarter of 2018 to showcase Hong Kong's financial markets.

Ms Ng On-yee pulls off back-to-back world titles in a month, first reigning at the UK Women's Championship for the third time in Leeds, then netting her maiden Eden Women's Masters victory in Gloucester. Ms Mini Chu Pui-ying triumphs over Ms Ho Yee-ki in an all-Hong-Kong final at the Masters to lift the Challenge Cup.

November

1

4

7

9-12

The Viva Blue House, revitalised from the Blue House Cluster in Wan Chai by St James' Settlement, becomes Hong Kong's first built heritage conservation project to receive the top honour of Award of Excellence in the 2017 Unesco Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The three tenement buildings were constructed between the 1920s and 1950s and restored under the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme, begun in 2008.

The NPC Standing Committee adds the Law of the People's Republic of China on National Anthem to Annex Ill of the Basic Law. The National Anthem Law will be applied in the HKSAR by way of appropriate local legislation consistent with the territory's constitutional and legal regime.

Hong Kong wins a Global Safety Achievement Award in recognition of its contributions in improving aviation safety over the last 12 months. It is the city's first award from the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation, which says the Civil Aviation Department's Air Traffic Management System, fully commissioned in November 2016, contains new safety features to improve safety and increase efficiency in the Hong Kong flight information region.

The Chief Executive attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2017 Economic Leaders' Meeting and other related meetings in Da Nang, Vietnam, for the first time in her capacity as Chief Executive in support of the promotion of free trade and inclusive development.

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