Hong Kong 2006 - Communications, the Media and Information Technology

The Brussels ETO organised events in 14 European cities from late January to February to celebrate Chinese New Year. The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts was invited to perform Chinese music during some of the events, which were attended by about 3 000 guests from diplomatic, political and business circles. Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt of Belgium was the guest of honour at the Brussels reception and Mr Tom Kitt, Irelands Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Prime Minister), was the guest of honour in Dublin.

The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, visited Belgium and France in November. In Belgium, he met Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, Finance Minister Didier Reynders and other senior officials. He also had meetings with the President of the European Parliament, Josep Borrell Fontelles and the President of the European Commission, Jos Manuel Barroso. Mr Tsang and Mr Barroso issued a joint statement after their meeting, pledging to boost links in areas of common interest. Mr Tsang attended and spoke at a business seminar organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), a luncheon co-organised by Brussels ETO and the Royal Institute for International Relations, and a gala dinner co-organised by Brussels ETO and the Belgium-Hong Kong Society.

In France, the Chief Executive met President Jacques Chirac and Mr Edouard Balladur, President of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs Commission, and attended a dinner hosted by Mr Franois Loos, the Minister Delegate for Industry. He spoke at various business events including the opening of the second Plenary Session of the Hong Kong-France Business Partnership of the HKTDC, a breakfast meeting with French Chief Executive Officers and a luncheon seminar co-organised with the French Institute of International Relations. He attended and gave a keynote speech at the Hong Kong-Guangdong Business Conference together with Mr Huang Huahua, Governor of Guangdong province.

Brussels ETO, with the support of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, arranged the annual European tour of the Hong Kong Film Panorama. The festival, showcasing Hong Kong's most recent productions, was held in Munich, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, Vienna and Barcelona. It also made a stop in Venice. A Hong Kong photo exhibition was held in Berlin's Town Hall to coincide with the Chinese New Year celebrations, and in Helsinki in March and April.

The London ETO made its second appearance in the City of London Lord Mayor's Show with a spectacular, 52-foot high Bun Tower, complete with bun-pickers and 5 600 buns. The seven-tonne Bun Tower was modelled closely on the Cheung Chau original and was erected between the Bank of England and the Lord Mayor's official residence, Mansion House. About 500 000 people attended the show, which was broadcast nationally in Britain to about 2 million viewers and also to the BBC's 300 million global audience.

London ETO organised Chinese New Year receptions in London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Warsaw, Zurich, Budapest, Prague, Oslo, Moscow and St Petersburg (the last three including business seminars).

In the summer of 2006, the Washington ETO presented its 11th annual Made in Hong Kong Film Festival, co-sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution's Freer Gallery of Art.

In September, the Secretary for Justice, Mr Wong Yan Lung, visited Washington, DC. Mr Wong met Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court, Mr Antonym Scalier; the Attorney General of the US, Mr Alberto Gonzales; and Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs, US Department of State, Ms Paula Dobriansky. He spoke at two forums organised by the Brookings Institution and the Georgetown University Law Center.

During the year, the Toronto ETO organised a series of high-profile events to promote Hong Kong. The highlights included a two-day national business forum on 'Your Smart Link to China: Hong Kong' in Winnipeg, and the launching of the 'China Initiative' together with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, linking the chamber's 57 000-member companies with Hong Kong trade organisations. The Hong Kong spirit and its evolution as a key global economic and cultural player were celebrated in a 'Tribute to Hong Kong' gala, tied in with four full-house performances of 'Love in a Fallen City' by the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre in Toronto. Special film events were held in Toronto and Vancouver to feature Hong Kong film directors such as Ann Hui and Patrick Tam.

The Secretary for Justice also visited New York in September and spoke at a luncheon co-hosted by New York ETO, Hong Kong Association of New York, The Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the American Foreign Law Association. He also met members of Human Rights Watch and spoke at Columbia University.

The ETO was the presenting sponsor of the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre's US debut performance of 'Love in a Fallen City' in New York in May. The event was part of the ETO's promotion of Hong Kong as a vibrant cultural and arts centre.

New York ETO also promoted Hong Kong films in Atlanta, Chicago and New York, and held an event to pay tribute to Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Ka Fai at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. It was a sponsor of the 29th Asian American International Film Festival in July, organised by Asian Cinevision.

The Secretary for Justice visited the San Francisco Bay Area in September as part of his US tour. He spoke at various forums including a meeting hosted by the Bar Association of San Francisco, a business luncheon organised by San Francisco ETO, and a seminar at the Law School of the University of California (UC), Berkeley. He also officiated at San Francisco ETOs 20th Anniversary reception.

During the year, the San Francisco ETO organised a business seminar, 'Hong Kong: Today's advantages for your tomorrow in China' in Silicon Valley, international film festivals in San Francisco, Seattle and Hawaii, and the San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival. A newspaper supplement on Hong Kong as a gateway to China was produced and published in the business journals of eight different cities San Diego, Portland, Dallas, Austin, Denver, Seattle, Phoenix and Honolulu.

Tokyo ETO held a series of luncheon seminars on 'Hong Kong — New Opportunities; New Attractions' in conjunction with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Hong Kong Tourism Board. The seminars, which took place in Osaka, Fukuoka and Kagoshima, were attended by more than 500 guests from the political, business, financial and media sectors. A similar luncheon seminar was held in Seoul and attended by over 200 guests.

The third Hong Kong Sedan Chair Race, co-organised by the Tokyo ETO, Yokohama City Government and other parties, was held on November 3 in Yokohama. More than 400 competitors took part in the event which attracted thousands of spectators. The race helped boost the world environmental conservation campaign, 'MOTTAINAI'. The ETO co-hosted a cocktail reception with the Hong Kong Tourism Board to solicit support for the Hong Kong-based Asian Youth Orchestra performance in Tokyo in August.

In July, Mr Donald Tsang made his first official visit to Singapore in his capacity as Chief Executive. He called on the Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong; the Senior Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong; and the Minister Mentor, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. He met senior business figures and briefed them on Hong Kong's economy and business environment.

In September, the Financial Secretary, Mr Henry Tang, attended the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in Singapore. He held bilateral talks with finance ministers and central bankers of other economies and promoted Hong Kong in his discussions with representatives of the international financial community and credit rating agencies.

In June, the ETO in Singapore helped organise a five-day study tour of the Philippines and Cambodia by a high-level delegation from Hong Kong's construction industry.

A series of talks on the Pan-Pearl River Delta Cooperation Forum and the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement were held in key cities of Southeast Asia to publicise these two Hong Kong-Mainland China accords, and to promote Hong Kong as the gateway to the vast Mainland market.

The ETO joined forces with the Hong Kong Tourism Board to stage 'Discover Hong Kong Year' regional fairs in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Manila in January and February.

In July, the ETO co-sponsored a performance by the Hong Kong Children's Symphony Orchestra in Singapore. In September, the ETO presented the first ever Hong Kong Film Festival in Singapore and the region, featuring nine Hong Kong movies.

Mr Henry Tang made his first visit to New Zealand and Australia as Financial Secretary in May. He met the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance of New Zealand, as well as the Treasurer, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Attorney-General of Australia. Mr Tang delivered a keynote address at a gala dinner hosted by the Asia Society Australasia Centre; launched the 2006 Hong Kong Shopping Festival and the Mid-Autumn Lantern Celebration organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board; and was guest of honour at a public concert given by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra.

To complement Mr Tang's visit, Sydney ETO commissioned two special reports about Hong Kong in the national dailies of New Zealand and Australia.

On the cultural front, the office joined forces again with organisers of the Sydney Film Festival, the Melbourne International Film Festival and, for the first time, the Brisbane International Film Festival, to present a selection of Hong Kong films.