ENG-1986 — Page 282

COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

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Against this background, it is not surprising that remarkable advances and innovations have taken place in the information field in recent years. The government has matched this progress by expanding its information services and by producing and participating in an increasing number of public affairs programmes on television and radio.

Information Policy

The Secretary for Administrative Services and Information has overall policy responsibility for the government's relations with the media. The main aim is to keep the media informed of the government's policies and thinking, as well as forthcoming events and proposed legislation, thus providing a valuable means of communication with the general public. On this front, the Administrative Services and Information Branch is responsible for co-ordinating the work of the Government Information Services, Radio Television Hong Kong and the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority.

Apart from formulating policy on a wide range of information and broadcasting matters, the Secretary for Administrative Services and Information advises the government on the presentation of its policies and on public relations matters generally.

Liaison Division

The Liaison Division of the Administrative Services and Information Branch is responsible for overseas public relations matters. In this, it serves as a point of contact between the government's overseas offices and non-government bodies, such as the Trade Development Council, the Hong Kong Tourist Association, chambers of commerce and consulates and commissions. An Overseas Public Relations Group comprising government and non- government representatives co-ordinates overseas public relations activities.

Receiving overseas visitors is another major function of the division. A Visits Office was set up in September 1983 to handle parliamentary visits from the United Kingdom. The role of this office has since been expanded to include the arranging of programmes of visits and briefings for VIP visitors from all over the world. In this task the office maintains close contact with the overseas offices, commissioners and consuls-general.

To promote Hong Kong's overseas public relations, the Visits Office has, since May 1985, been co-ordinating programmes on overseas speaking engagements for prominent people. Suitable platforms are arranged for influential Hong Kong personalities and other internationally-known people to speak for Hong Kong before audiences in North America, the United Kingdom and other European countries.

Hong Kong took part in Expo '86 in Vancouver for the purpose of projecting Hong Kong's image as the communication and transportation nerve-centre on the Pacific rim. The opportunity was also taken to project the message of Hong Kong's continuous stability and prosperity. The Hong Kong Pavilion, designed by a Hong Kong architect, had a strategic position at the Expo site. The whole project, costing $15 million, was financed jointly by the government and by a number of quasi-public organisations and private corporations. It took the form of an extremely popular multi-media show in a pavilion surrounded by bamboo scaffolding, representing Hong Kong's continued process of growth and redevelopment.

During the six months of display, the Hong Kong Pavilion attracted more than 1.3 million people, an average daily attendance of 8 500.

Another major event on the overseas public relations front for the year was the official visit by the Governor to San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago and Vancouver in July.