ENG-1995 — Page 379

COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

and positive image of Hong Kong and its present and future role as the gateway to China and the Asia-Pacific regions. Mrs Chan met senior Japanese politicians including the Prime Minister, Mr Tomiichi Murayama, and prominent business leaders.

In November, the Financial Secretary, Mr Donald Tsang took part in an economic leaders meeting in Osaka at the conclusion of the annual Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation ministerial meeting.

North America

Between May and August, the Hong Kong offices in New York and San Francisco co-sponsored and assisted in organising a series of Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festivals in Boston, Atlanta, New York, Seattle and Los Angeles to further develop cultural ties with the local communities. Before taking over as Financial Secretary, Mr Tsang also visited North America in June to speak in several US and Canadian cities, including Washington, New York, Toronto and Ottawa. In October, he returned for the International Monetary Fund/World Bank annual meeting in Washington.

Hong Kong offices in New York and Washington also assisted in a tour by the Asian Youth Orchestra with a concert and dinner at New York's prestigious Lincoln Centre and an outdoor concert and reception in Baltimore. Kicking off the year, the Washington office co-sponsored a series of presentations on Hong Kong entitled 'A Dynamic City in Transition'.

A new module was developed by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Toronto this year to increase Canadians' general awareness of Hong Kong's business environment and its unique position as the gateway to East Asia. The new concept incorporated a keynote address on general business promotions with an industrial- opportunities workshop, and a series of very successful promotional activities was held in cities including Montreal, Edmonton, Calgary, Moncton and London.

The Toronto office also sponsored a Hong Kong Cup in Dragon Boat Festivals in seven major Canadian cities: Calgary, London, Ottawa, Regina, Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria. These events were extremely popular.

United Kingdom

A two-day festival, 'Hong Kong in Hyde Park', was staged in central London in September. This outdoor event highlighted Hong Kong's economic growth and cultural traditions, and gave visitors a glimpse of the territory's colourful and exciting lifestyle.

Highlights of the festival included dragon boat races on the Serpentine, performances by the Pipe Band of the Royal Hong Kong Police, cultural activities performed by artists from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and the Chinese community in the UK, and an exhibition, Hong Kong: City of Vision, featuring plans, designs and photographs of notable architectural and development projects in the territory.

In October a major conference entitled 'Hong Kong: Best for Business' was held in London to promote the territory's role as the Asia-Pacific region's leading business. centre. Organised in association with the Institute of Directors, the conference was

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