COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA
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In addition to these services, each overseas office produces special newsletters containing a digest of news and events in Hong Kong. These are widely distributed to contacts throughout the respective countries.
Special Events
North America
To further strengthen Hong Kong-United States ties, the year saw many high-level visitors from Hong Kong, as well as promotional activities.
In April, the Governor went to New York and Washington DC to argue the case for renewal of unconditional MFN status for China. During his three-day visit, the Governor met President Bill Clinton; Vice-President Al Gore; Congressional leaders and other Administration officials. He also addressed meetings of the National Press Club and the Heritage Foundation.
Before his visit to the United States, the Governor was in Vancouver, Ottawa and Toronto where he met the Prime Minister, Mr Jean Chretien, federal ministers and prominent community and business leaders. He also secured an agreement in principle from the Foreign Minister, Mr Lloyd Axworthy, for visa-free arrangements for holders of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports.
Between May and June, the Chief Secretary, Mrs Anson Chan, visited Seattle, San Francisco, Boston, New York, Dallas, Los Angeles and Washington DC. During her visit, Mrs Chan met local government officials, cabinet members, congressional leaders, academics, business people and media representatives. In Washington, Mrs Chan successfully put to the US Congress Hong Kong's case for China's Most Favoured Nation status renewal.
As part of her visit, Mrs Chan led a high-level delegation comprising Hong Kong business and government representatives to New York, Dallas and Los Angeles for a major Hong Kong promotion from June 3-11 entitled 'Hong Kong*USA’96'. It featured a series of business seminars and workshops covering Hong Kong's financial services, high-tech manufacturing and tourism, and keynote luncheon speeches by the Chief Secretary. Other promotion-related activities included gala dinners, concerts by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, a Hong Kong film festival, fashion shows featuring the work of Hong Kong designers, a 'Hong Kong Wonders Never Cease' promotion and a HK-TVB variety show featuring some of Hong Kong's top singers which was broadcast in both Hong Kong and the United States.
The promotion was organised by the Hong Kong Government in conjunction with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA) with significant private sector participation from some of the territory's major corporations.
Other senior government officials who visited North America during the year included the Financial Secretary, the Solicitor General and the Attorney General.
The Financial Secretary, Mr Donald Tsang, led a delegation from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to Washington DC for the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings in September, followed by a visit to New York. He also travelled to Los Angeles to deliver a keynote address at the Pacific Rim Services Conference.
In August, Attorney General, Mr Jeremy Mathews, attended a Commonwealth Law Conference in Vancouver. Earlier, in February, the Solicitor General, Mr Daniel