COMMUNICATIONS, THE MEDIA AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
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business leaders, legal professionals and media representatives on 'Hong Kong After 1997 — One Country, Two Systems' at a luncheon organised by the Sydney HKETO.
In November, the Information Coordinator visited New Zealand and Australia to promote Hong Kong's new global Brand. During his visit, Mr Lam addressed gatherings of senior corporate executives, local community leaders and the media in Auckland and Brisbane and gave an update on Hong Kong's prospects in the current economic climate, as well as elaborating on business opportunities in Hong Kong for Australian and New Zealand companies.
Also in November, the Commissioner for Tourism, Mrs Rebecca Lai, visited Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia at the invitation of the Australian Government. Mrs Lai met the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Alexander Downer, and officials from the federal as well as state tourism authorities. She also visited major tourist attractions in Sydney, the Gold Coast, Adelaide and Perth. While in Sydney, Mrs Lai spoke at a business luncheon organised jointly by Sydney HKETO and the Hong Kong Tourism Board during which she gave an update on measures in place to enhance Hong Kong as a tourism hub.
During the year, the Sydney HKETO hosted a number of receptions, breakfast briefings and luncheons in Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland to launch Brand Hong Kong. An exhibition on ‘Hong Kong: Asia's world city' was staged at Darling Harbour in Sydney and attracted over 2 500 people. A three-week film festival featuring an exclusive array of Hong Kong films was presented in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in October to showcase the HKSAR's film industry and promote cultural exchanges with Australia.
Brand Hong Kong
The Chief Executive launched Brand Hong Kong at the Fortune Global Forum on May 11. In his 1999 Policy Address Mr Tung had said his Government would establish Hong Kong as Asia's world city.
Hong Kong already possessed many of the key features common to New York and London, Mr Tung said. It was already an international centre of finance and a popular tourist destination, and held leading positions in trade and transportation.
The Brand Hong Kong programme arose as a strategic communications platform for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which was recommended by the Commission on Strategic Development, a body of senior public and private sector representatives advising the Chief Executive on Hong Kong's long-term development needs and goals.
The commission said a positive image of Hong Kong should be promoted to external audiences.
The Hong Kong visual identity has been designed to communicate Hong Kong's link to an historical and cultural icon. The flowing lines of the dragon also mirror Chinese calligraphy. This dual expression symbolises a blend of East and West that characterises Hong Kong. The dragon's smooth, fluid shape imparts a sense of movement and speed, communicating that Hong Kong is forever changing. The Brand's core values are 'progressive, free, stable, opportunity and high quality'.