FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1993
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HK DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK BEGINS
WITH THE CEREMONIAL DOTTING OF THE EYE OF A SLEEPING DRAGON ΤΟ AWAKEN ITS SPIRIT, THE THIRD ANNUAL HONG KONG DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK BEGAN ON THURSDAY (NEW YORK TIME) AT THE WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER IN LOWER MANHATTAN.
AS
HUNDREDS OF LUNCH-TIME NEW YORKERS WATCHED ON, A 60-FOOT- LONG DRAGON WOUND ITS WAY THROUGH THE LARGE WINTER GARDEN OF THE WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER TO LAUNCH THE FOUR-DAY EXHIBITION OF CHINESE CULTURE, WHICH INCLUDES A DRAGON BOAT RACE ON THE HUDSON RIVER ON AUGUST 15, FROM NOON TO 4 PM.
THE
HONG KONG DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK, RUNNING FROM AUGUST 12 TO 15, IS PRESENTED BY THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC AND TRADE OFFICE IN NEW YORK AND HONG KONG ASSOCIATION OF NEW
IT IS SPONSORED BY HONGKONGBANK.
YORK.
"THE FESTIVAL PRESENTS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW YORKERS TO UNDERSTAND BETTER THAT, APART FROM THE BUSINESS SIDE OF HONG KONG, THERE IS A CULTURAL AND SPORTING COLOR TO HONG KONG LIFE, SAID MR BARRIE WIGGHAM, HONG KONG COMMISSIONER USA, WHO PERFORMED THE CEREMONIAL EYE-DOTTING OF THE DRAGON UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A BUDDHIST PRIEST.
"HONG HONG IS PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THROUGH THESE EVENTS SOME OF THE WAYS OF THE PEARL TO NEW YORKERS IN THE BIG APPLE.
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"HONG KONG IS WELL KNOWN AS THE MAIN BUSINESS GATEWAY TO CHINA; AND AS A BUSINESS HUB FOR THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION, SAID MR WIGGHAM, WHO HEADS THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC AND TRADE AFFAIRS OFFICE IN WASHINGTON, DC.
"OF COURSE, THERE ARE ALREADY CLOSE TRADING AND ECONOMIC TIES BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE U.S.: THIS IS REFLECTED BY A STRONG AMERICAN PRESENCE IN HONG KONG, WITH MORE THAN 900 AMERICAN COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS THERE.
"OVERALL U.S.
INVESTMENT IS ESTIMATED AT US$7 BILLION. MORE THAN 26,000 AMERICANS LIVE IN HONG KONG AND THE NUMBER IS INCREASING AT THE RATE OF OVER 1,000 A YEAR,' HE SAID.
THE
H
IN
"BUT I AM DELIGHTED THAT, AS THE NEW HONG KONG COMMISSIONER UNITED STATES, MY VERY FIRST OFFICIAL FUNCTION IS NOT STRICTLY RELATED TO THE "ECONOMIC AND TRADE AFFAIRS" OF THE FORMAL TITLE, BUT TO A DIFFERENT SIDE OF HONG KONG LIFE, MR WIGGHAM SAID,
Fr
THE FOUR-DAY CELEBRATION IN THE WINTER GARDEN AND ON THE PLAZA OUTSIDE THE WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER FEATURES DEMONSTRATIONS OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE CRAFTS, COOKING, MARTIAL ARTS AND DANCES, STATE-OF-THE-ART PRODUCTS AND DISPLAYS.
AND
AND
THE DEMONSTRATIONS AND EXHIBITS INCLUDE: CHINESE MUSIC DANCE, MARTIAL ARTS, CHINESE KNOTTING, CALLIGRAPHY, ARTISTIC SEAL CARVING, CHINESE PAINTING AND DOUGH FIGURES.
/"THE WORLD
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