XN000022-1986-03-14 — Page 12

FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 1986

11

HK COMMISSIONER AT EXPO 86

***

THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION, MR PETER TSAO, ARRIVED IN VANCOUVER YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) TO ATTEND THE COMMISSIONERS GENERAL MEETING OF EXPO 86.

J

MR TSAO, COMMISSIONER OF THE HONG KONG PAVILION, WILL MEET NEXT WEEK WITH MORE THAN 50 REPRESENTATIVES FROM COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD TO DISCUSS THE FRAMEWORK OF THE EXPOSITION, WHICH WILL OPEN IN 50 DAYS.

HE TOLD THE PRESS AT VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT THAT THE FIRST THING HE WOULD DO AFTER 11 HOURS OF FLIGHT WAS TO VISIT THE HONG KONG PAVILION.

+OUR AIM IS TO SHOW THE WORLD THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG AFTER THE SIGNING OF THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE, HE SAID.

+WE ARE GOING TO PRESENT IT IN A 9-MINUTE MULTI-VISION SLIDE SHOW, WITH LIVE PERFORMANCES BY HONG KONG DANCERS.

+THE WHOLE PROJECT COSTS HK$15 MILLION (C$2.7 MILLION) AND I AM VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN SEEING THE PROGRESS OF OUR PAVILION,+ HE ADDED.

TO ADD A HUMAN TOUCH TO THE PAVILION, MR TSAO SAID, 500 000 CARDS WITH SIGNATURES AND CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESSES OF HONG KONG PEOPLE WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO HONG KONG PAVILION VISITORS DURING THE EXPO PERIOD.

+WE HOPE PEOPLE FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD CAN MAKE FRIENDS WITH HONG KONG, HE ADDED.

MR TSAO SAID THE HONG KONG PAVILION HAD THE FULL SUPPORT OF HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE ORGANISATIONS AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS.

MR TSAO THEN WENT TO THE EXPO SITE WITH THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF THE HONG KONG PAVILION, MR EDWARD HUNG, WHO HAS BEEN STATIONED IN VANCOUVER FOR FIVE MONTHS TO OVERSEE THE PREPARATION WORK.

+ IT'S TAKING SHAPE AND I AM HAPPY TO SEE EVERYTHING IS BEING DONE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, SAID MR TSAO DURING HIS HALF-AN-HOUR TOUR OF THE HONG KONG PAVILION.

THE HONG KONG PAVILION CONSISTS OF A 200-SEAT THEATRE WITH BAMBOO SCAFFOLDING ON THE EXTERIOR.

ALL CONSTRUCTION WORK INSIDE THE PAVILION HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

AFTER TOURING THE PAVILION, MR TSAO WENT TO SEE THE EXHIBITS AT THE LAND PLAZA, INCLUDING A HONG KONG TRAM.

/12