ENG-1986 — Page 291

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COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

Kong. The project, designed to publicise Hong Kong's growing importance as an international financial centre, included as its highlights a live, hour-long television link between two functions held simultaneously in Hong Kong and London, as well as twin exhibitions mounted by the Financial Times, in collaboration with the London Office, in the Public Gallery of the London Stock Exchange and the Rotunda in Exchange Square, Hong Kong, on Hong Kong's financial and business services.

The second major project was the complete rebuilding of the Hong Kong Exhibition at the Commonwealth Institute in London to reflect the important developments that have taken place in Hong Kong since the signing of the Joint Declaration on the future of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong's emergence as a 'high-tech' manufacturing and business orientated economy of world importance. The new exhibition was opened by Mr Timothy Renton, MP, Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

In common with the London Office, the Hong Kong Government Offices in New York and Brussels were kept busy catering to media interest in Hong Kong.

News media and public enquiries are serviced by two offices in North America, in New York and San Francisco.

The New York office went into operation in 1983 and is now firmly established as a resource for news media throughout the United States and Canada, particularly in the major news centres of New York and Washington. The San Francisco office opened in mid-1986, and will concentrate mainly on the area of the United States west of the Rockies. The New York office continued to publicise Hong Kong and its positive attributes, part- icularly its guaranteed future, arising from the Joint Declaration, and its status as a free and open trader which erects no barrier against imports or services from overseas. This work was especially important during the various debates in Congress on pro- tectionist legislation which would have harmed Hong Kong exports to the United States.

The Brussels office is responsible, among other things, for the government's publicity efforts in the 12 Member States of the European Community, except the United Kingdom. The office's information section works closely with GIS to provide material on Hong Kong matters in response to enquiries from the European media and to provide briefings for journalists visiting Hong Kong.

It also distributes feature articles and news releases to selected media contacts, and offers a more general enquiry and information service for members of the public, particularly business travellers, tourists and students.

Film Industry

By the end of 1986, the number of cinemas totalled 105 compared with 104 in 1985. The new theatres are generally better equipped, though smaller.

The annual cinema attendance remained constant at about 60 million. Cinema going remains a popular activity, second only to watching television.

The number of locally produced films was 100 (including three co-productions), com- pared with 105 in 1985. While imported films continued to be popular, good quality local films remained the favourites with the majority of cinema patrons. The biggest box-office successes for the year included A Better Tomorrow which grossed $35 million; Noble Express ($28 million), Aces Go Places ($27 million) and Lucky Stars Go Places ($25 million). The trend towards making locally produced films in Cantonese rather than in Mandarin continued during 1986. Comedies, action films and horror films were the most popular.