Hong Kong Students Shine at European Physics and Math Olympiads

Two Hong Kong teams shine at European Physics Olympiad and International Mathematical Olympiad

Two teams of students representing Hong Kong achieved remarkable results at the 8th European Physics Olympiad (EuPhO 2024) and the 65th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO 2024).

The EuPhO 2024, hosted by Georgia, was held from July 15 to 19. A total of 256 students from 54 countries and regions competed for medals. The Hong Kong team won four gold medals and one silver medal. The five awardees are as follows:

Gold medal: Haydn Cheng (Baptist Lui Ming Choi Secondary School)

Edison Fu (Queen's College)

Qiao Lok-hei (St. Paul's Co-educational College)

Yeung Yeung (St. Mark's School)

Silver medal: Hui Pok-shing (Queen Elizabeth School)

The IMO 2024, hosted by the United Kingdom, was held from July 11 to 22, with the participation of 609 students from 108 countries and regions. The Hong Kong team won five silver medals and one bronze medal. The six awardees are as follows:

Silver medal: Chase Sebastian (St. Joan of Arc Secondary School)

Kwan Yung-ho (Diocesan Boys' School)

Lai Wai-lok (St. Paul's Co-educational College)

Ng Hok-lai (St. Paul's Co-educational College)

Jerry Xu (Victoria Shanghai Academy)

Bronze medal: Liu Lincoln (Sha Tin College)

The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, congratulated the Hong Kong teams today (July 23) on their outstanding performances. "The students representing Hong Kong in the competitions have excellent potential in physics and mathematics. They have actively participated in the advanced training and achieved impressive results. The Education Bureau (EDB) and different stakeholders will continue to promote STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) education in primary and secondary schools, and encourage the setting up of school-based talent pools to identify and nurture more STEAM talent and help them unleash their potential," Dr Choi said.

The EDB has been attaching great importance to the grooming of gifted students and will strengthen collaboration with the Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE) to offer more diversified and high-quality off-school gifted education services and, in particular, arrange for gifted students with potential in STEAM to participate in systematic training and competitions of a reasonable scale to nurture future innovation and technology talent for Hong Kong.

Members of the Hong Kong teams of the EuPhO 2024 and the IMO 2024 achieved excellent results in local selection contests. They subsequently received specific training under the enhancement programmes arranged by the HKAGE. The outstanding students in the programmes were then selected as contestants to represent Hong Kong to participate in the above competitions. The Hong Kong teams were fully funded by the EDB to join these competitions.

Two Hong Kong teams shine at European Physics Olympiad and International Mathematical Olympiad Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Two Hong Kong teams shine at European Physics Olympiad and International Mathematical Olympiad Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Remarks by SLW on closure of Ocean Empire Food Shop

Below are the remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, on the closure of Ocean Empire Food Shop at a media session after attending a radio programme today morning (May 10):

Reporter: What is the Labour Department's current plan of action regarding the unpaid wages and severance payment owed to former employees of Ocean Empire Food Shop? What steps are the Labour Department taking to ensure these contributions are recovered and paid to the workers? The second question is, what steps are the Government taking to strengthen employment protection and prevent similar situations to recur in future? Thank you.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare: Right now our top priority is to help the 100 or so workers, local or imported, to get what they should get under the law, i.e. their unpaid salaries, unpaid leave as well as severance payment. We are helping them to apply for support under the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund against insolvency and wage default. It takes a bit of time, but they don't have to worry. Right now, under the Fund, be it unpaid salaries, unpaid leave as well as severance payment, there is a well-established mechanism for them to get back money that is owed to them. We are working closely with the employers because with their help, it could speed up the whole process. In Hong Kong we have very elaborated labour laws providing much needed and necessary protection for our workers, and such protection applies to both local and imported workers.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)