XN000022-1986-04-27 — Page 4

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SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 1986

EXPO ORGANISERS HAVE DESIGNATED JULY 18 AS HONG KONG DAY' TO MARK THE TERRITORY'S PARTICIPATION IN THE EXPOSITION WHICH OPENS ON MAY 2.

THE CEREMONY BEGINNING THE DAY'S ACTIVITIES WILL FEATURE LION DANCES AND A PERFORMANCE BY A BAND OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE.

ACTIVITIES WILL CULMINATE WITH A COLOURFUL VARIETY SHOW IN THE EVENING. THE ENTERTAINERS TAKING PART WILL INCLUDE ARTISTES FROM ATV AND TVB.

THIS MAJOR CULTURAL EVENT WILL BE HELD AT THE EXPO'S XEROX INTERNATIONAL THEATRE WHICH CAN SEAT 1 500 PEOPLE.

EXPO '86 WILL RUN UNTIL OCTOBER 13, AND AS THIS ENCOMPASSES THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL IN SEPTEMBER, OFFICIALS AT THE HONG KONG PAVILION ARE PLANNING A LANTERN PARADE AT THAT TIME.

HONG KONG HAS JOINED A LARGE NUMBER OF NATIONS, PROVINCES AND STATES IN TAKING PART IN THE EXHIBITION. MAJOR TRADING NATIONS ARE REPRESENTED, INCLUDING THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE UNITED STATES, THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, JAPAN, GERMANY, FRANCE AND AUSTRALIA. THE SOVIET UNION IS ALSO TAKING PART.

EXPO OFFICIALS SAY THAT ALREADY MORE THAN 13 MILLION TICKETS HAVE BEEN SOLD AND THEY ARE NOW EXPECTING NO LESS THAN 17 MILLION VISITORS DURING THE SIX MONTHS.

OFFICIALS SEE HONG KONG'S PARTICIPATION AS PROVIDING A USEFUL AND TIMELY OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE THE TERRITORY'S IDENTITY AS A VIABLE AND PROSPEROUS ENTITY IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WITH ITS FUTURE SECURED BY THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION.

TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS FORM THE MAIN THEME OF THE EXPOSITION, AND THIS AFFORDS HONG KONG AN ADDED BENEFIT IN REINFORCING ITS IMAGE AS A REGIONAL CENTRE FOR TRANSPORT, COMMUNICATIONS AND FINANCE IN ASIA.

HONG KONG'S PAVILION HAS A STRATEGIC POSITION AT THE EXPO SITE WHICH COVERS 70 HECTARES BY FALSE CREEK.

AN EXTERIOR FEATURE OF THE PAVILION IS A BAMBOO SCAFFOLDING GRID WHICH IS INTENDED TO SYMBOLISE HONG KONG'S VITALITY IN BUILDING FOR ITS FUTURE.

DURING THE EXPOSITION, THE SCAFFOLDING WILL BE REGULARLY RE-ARRANGED BY A TEAM OF SCAFFOLDING WORKERS FROM HONG KONG, AN ACTION WHICH WILL CONVEY A SENSE OF ADAPTABILITY AND ENTERPRISE.

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