Dear readers of Bauhinia Magazine,

On behalf of the Consulate General of Belarus in the Hong Kong SAR, may I extend our heartfelt wishes of endless joy and happiness in the Year of the Fire Horse!

The celebration time of Chinese New Year is a moment of family gathering, which, I wish, will fill your hearts with love and happiness. Let you and your loved ones possess good health and great luck for all the year ahead.

As preparations for next year traditionally mark summing up previous achievements and gaining courage for bold implementation of fresh starts, may the Fire Horse light up the coming year with energy, which will drive you to success and prosperity, bring progress and exciting opportunities, inspire you to pursue your dreams.

We highly value reached achievements and hope for deepening of joint cooperation. May fortune accompany you in all endeavors through 2026!

Ms. Tatyana KHARLAP

Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in Hong Kong

Dear readers of Bauhinia Magazine,

On behalf of the Egyptian Consulate General in the Hong Kong SAR, I extend my warmest greetings for the Chinese New Year of the Horse. The Horse, symbolizing vitality, perseverance, and progress, reflects the enduring spirit of friendship between peoples, development, and prosperity.

Egypt and Hong Kong have consistently fostered a strong and meaningful relationship, marked by extensive cultural and economic exchanges. The current year, 2026, is particularly noteworthy as it signifies the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and China. I am delighted to observe a significant increase in Egyptian cultural events hosted in Hong Kong, including the ongoing “Ancient Egyptian Unveiled: Treasures from Egyptian Museums” exhibition at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, which presents a unique opportunity for public participation. I encourage all interested individuals to attend this exhibition to gain a more profound appreciation of Egyptian culture.

May the Year of the Horse bring health, happiness, and shared prosperity.

恭祝大家龙马精神、万事如意、阖家幸福、吉祥安康!

Mr. Baher Farouk Ahmed SHEWEIKHI

Consul General of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Hong Kong & Macao

Dear readers of Bauhinia Magazine,

As we welcome the Lunar New Year and look ahead to the Year of the Horse, I am delighted to extend my warmest greetings and best wishes to the readers of Bauhinia Magazine and the people of Hong Kong SAR.

The Horse symbolises vitality, strength, confidence, and progress-qualities that inspires the dynamic of our bilateral relations, which we work to build in a spirit of mutual respect, cultural exchange, and shared openness. Over the past year, we celebrated the success of our partnership with Business of Design Week (BoDW) 2025 and with the third edition of the “ITALIA on Stage” Festival, both showcasing Italian creativity and strengthening cultural dialogue between the local and the Italian communities. We also look ahead with anticipation to the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, which will take place from 6 to 22 February in Italy, celebrating sport and its global values.

The Chinese New Year is a significant time for reunion, reflection, and renewal. We look forward to further deepening our ties through culture, trade, and people-to-people exchanges between Italy and Hong Kong, and we remain committed to promoting and presenting engaging and inspiring Italian cultural and social events to the Hong Kong audience.

May the Year of the Horse bring health, strength, happiness, and peace to all.

Happy Lunar New Year and Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Mr Carmelo FICARRA

Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong

Dear readers of Bauhinia Magazine,

On the joyous occasion of the Chinese New Year 2026, as we welcome the Year of the Horse, the Consulate General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Hong Kong SAR extends our warmest and most sincere congratulations to all residents of Hong Kong.

The year 2025 marked significant strides in the friendship and cooperation between Kazakhstan and Hong Kong. We are confident that the Year of the Horse, symbolizing strength and new beginnings, will further elevate our bilateral relations, fostering deeper ties in trade, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.

May the New Year bring you and your families abundant health, prosperity and harmony. We look forward to continuing our fruitful partnership and friendship in the year ahead.

Mr. Bauyrzhan DOSMANBETOV

Consul General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Hong Kong

Dear readers of Bauhinia Magazine,

As the Year of the Fire Horse gallops in, bringing vibrant energy, passion, and prosperity, I extend my warmest Gong Xi Fa Cai and heartfelt Chinese New Year greetings to the people of Hong Kong SAR, our Malaysian community here, and all friends of Malaysia.

This auspicious occasion coincides with the vibrant launch of Visit Malaysia 2026, a landmark campaign under the inspiring theme “Surreal Experiences”. It celebrates Malaysia’s rich cultural diversity, breathtaking natural wonders, and legendary warm hospitality. The mutual visa exemptions between Malaysia and China, together with deepening high-level exchanges among Malaysia, Chinese Mainland, and Hong Kong, have elevated our already strong ties to new heights.

I am confident that the Year of the Fire Horse will bring dynamic momentum and fresh opportunities to Malaysia, Hong Kong, and through it, to the broader Greater Bay Area. Hong Kong serves as Malaysia’s premier bridge to Chinese Mainland and the Greater Bay Area, while Malaysia provides Hong Kong with a vital gateway to ASEAN’s vast potential. Together, this powerful, reciprocal partnership drives shared growth and success.

Once again, I wish everyone in Hong Kong a joyous and prosperous Chinese New Year. May the Year of the Fire Horse bring you excellent health, immense happiness, boundless energy, and abundant prosperity!

Happy Chinese New Year 2026!

Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Mr. Muzambli Bin MARKAM

Consul General of Malaysia in Hong Kong

Dear readers of Bauhinia Magazine,

As we joyfully welcome the Year of the Horse, I extend my warmest wishes for happiness, prosperity, and good health to you and your loved ones. The Chinese New Year is a time for renewal and unity – values cherished by both our nations.

The partnership between Russia and Hong Kong SAR continues to deepen within the broader framework of the strategic collaboration between Russia and China. The outgoing Year of the Snake has been especially meaningful. Together, we honored the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War and the Chinese people in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression – a historic testament to our shared resilience and sacrifice in the fight against fascism.

Cultural and humanitarian ties are flourishing. In 2026, Hong Kong will host an exceptional exhibition of a world-renowned collection of Russian Orthodox icons from the State Tretyakov Gallery, further enriching our cultural exchange. In recognition of the importance of educational collaboration, 2026-2027 has been designated as the Russia-China Years of Education, which will open new opportunities for partnerships and academic exchange between Russian and Hong Kong universities.

May the Year of the Horse inspire you with harmony, energy, and continued success!

Mr. Anatoly KARGAPOLOV

Consul General of the Russian Federation in Hong Kong

Dear readers of Bauhinia Magazine,

It gives me great pleasure to pen my first Chinese New Year Message since I assumed post in Hong Kong SAR in August 2025, and I would like to thank the people of Hong Kong for being so welcoming to me and my family.

In 2025, we commemorated the 60th anniversary of Singapore’s Independence (SG60). We celebrated this milestone at our National Day Reception in Hong Kong and were honoured with the attendance of the Chief Executive, The Honourable John Lee Ka-chiu. We also organised a donation drive to support Dignity Kitchen, a Singapore social enterprise in Hong Kong empowering the disabled and disadvantaged through culinary training.

Singapore and Hong Kong enjoy excellent ties, underpinned by regular high-level exchanges and close people-to-people relations. Our relations deepened over the past year, as we stood in solidarity with our Hong Kong friends. The Singapore community in Hong Kong SAR, comprising the Singapore International School (Hong Kong), Singapore Chamber of Commerce (Hong Kong), Singapore Association in Hong Kong, and the Consulate-General of Singapore in Hong Kong came together for a donation drive to support those affected by the tragic Tai Po fire disaster. Collectively, we raised over HKD 1.83 million. Other Singapore businesses and individuals in Hong Kong also did their part, demonstrating the close people-to-people ties between our two sides.

As we usher in the Year of the Horse, I am optimistic that the close collaboration between our two vibrant cities would further deepen, and our cooperation in new and emerging areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Economy, Green Economy, and combatting cybercrimes, scams and drugs, among others, would broaden. Singapore and Hong Kong are close partners while we engage in healthy competition in some sectors. I believe that such constructive competition would help spur our two cities to do better and improve the livelihoods of our peoples.

Let me take this opportunity to wish all our readers good health, happiness, and prosperity in the auspicious Year of the Horse!

Mr. TEO Boon Hee

Consul General of Singapore in Hong Kong

Dear readers of Bauhinia Magazine,

As we celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Horse, I have the honour to extend my warmest greetings to the readers of Bauhinia Magazine across Hong Kong SAR. This auspicious occasion represents not only the beginning of a new year but also a profound opportunity for renewal and solidarity.

In this spirit, I wish to reflect on the close and cordial relations between Thailand and Hong Kong, exemplifying our multi-faceted cooperation and mutual benefits. I believe that the upcoming Year of the Horse will bring us a strong courage and forge the way to mutual prosperity and resilience between Thailand and Hong Kong.

I wish you all an abundance of joy, health, and success throughout the Year of the Horse.

Mr. Chaturont CHAIYAKAM

Consul General of the Kingdom of Thailand in Hong Kong

Dear readers of Bauhinia Magazine,

Kung Hei Fat Choy! Happy Chinese New Year!

I send my best wishes to all observing the Spring Festival on February 17 in China, across Asia, and around the world. May the Year of the Horse bring opportunity, peace, harmony, happiness, and amity to all of you.

I am pleased to note that, having reached unprecedented heights, the bilateral relations between the UAE and Hong Kong SAR now stand at an exciting juncture. As 2026 unfolds, we look forward to opening an even more promising chapter of cooperation – one that will undoubtedly weave new and stronger threads into our enduring friendship.

H.E. Shaikh Saoud ALMUALLA

Consul General of the United Arab Emirates in Hong Kong