354 | Communications, the Media and Information Technology
Senior Hong Kong Government officials also attended international conferences, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) meetings during the year in Japan. In November, the Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang; the Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang; and the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mrs Rita Lau, attended the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, the Finance Ministers' Meeting and the Ministerial Meeting respectively.
During his stay in Japan, the Chief Executive visited waste treatment facilities to learn from the Japanese experience and technology in handling municipal waste. He also spoke at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on Hong Kong's role in international financial co-operation and China's financial development.
The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, spoke about Hong Kong's countryside at a seminar in Tokyo in June.
In July, the Secretary for Education, Mr Michael Suen, led a delegation of presidents, vice-presidents and professors of seven Hong Kong universities to Korea and Japan to showcase Hong Kong as a regional education hub and to promote its New Academic Structure which also provides students with an opportunity to obtain a Diploma of Secondary Education.
In September, the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, visited cultural and sports facilities in Japan, and met representatives of the two sectors. In October, the Secretary for Development, Mrs Carrie Lam, led a Government delegation to the Eighth Ministers' Forum on Infrastructure Development in the Asia Pacific Region in Tokyo.
Business seminars were organised in different Japanese prefectures to further promote Hong Kong as a preferred place for trade, investment and tourism, as well as a platform from which to enter the vast Mainland market.
In August, the Tokyo ETO attended the Hong Kong-Kagoshima Conference's biennial Round Table Meeting to exchange views with the prefecture's government officials and business leaders on future exchanges and co-operation between the two cities.
In addition, a photo exhibition was co-organised with the HKTB to showcase Hong Kong's vitality and diversity to Kagoshima citizens.
The Tokyo ETO held an English speech contest for university students for the fourth consecutive year to foster deeper understanding of Hong Kong's core values and special attributes.
It also joined forces with the HKTB in September to hold an exhibition, 'Festive Hong Kong in Seoul', in the Korean capital to promote Hong Kong tourism. The two-day event featured stage performances, cultural shows and Hong Kong films.
Southeast Asia
Hong Kong's ties with its Southeast Asian neighbours were strengthened further during the year by a series of visits to the region by senior Hong Kong Government officials.
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