John Lee 'proud' and 'glad' over Aristo Sham's Cliburn Competition win

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu praised Hong Kong-born Aristo Sham for his historic win at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and pledged to make efforts to host his concerts. 

Speaking to the press ahead of his Executive Council meeting on Tuesday, Lee noted that the city is proud of Sham and expressed his happiness over the competition win.

 "I think every Hong Kong resident feels proud of this excellent result," the city leader said.

Lee highlighted that the government will "work hard" to facilitate Sham’s performances in Hong Kong, should the pianist choose to hold concerts in his home city.

Meanwhile, Lee emphasized that many Hong Kong artists are performing exceptionally well across various fields, as reflected by their numerous achievements.

An expert group from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council is responsible for examining the overall development of artistic talent and evaluating related donations or subsidies, he added.

Lee further stressed that the government will leverage existing mechanisms to support artists in achieving their goals and realizing their dreams.