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The Media, Communications and Information Technology

Public Relations Outside Hong Kong Division

The division helps develop and implement the government's public relations and communications strategy outside Hong Kong, working closely with the government's offices overseas, in the Mainland and Taiwan. Its Overseas Public Relations Sub-division promotes and monitors Hong Kong's image overseas and liaises closely with some 84 foreign media organisations based in Hong Kong, handling press enquiries, disseminating news and arranging briefings and interviews. It also runs a programme for visiting journalists, produces summaries of overseas reports on Hong Kong and distributes promotional material on Hong Kong worldwide. In addition, it co-ordinates and implements overseas publicity projects to tie in with senior officials' visits abroad.

The Brand Hong Kong Management Unit handles the Brand Hong Kong programme, promoting Hong Kong as Asia's world city locally and around the world. To ensure the brand's consistent application, the unit develops advertising campaigns and publicity material in print and electronic formats to support the government's Economic and Trade Offices' activities, senior officials' visits and major promotional programmes outside Hong Kong. The unit also seeks opportunities to highlight the brand and collaborates with organisers of major events of international significance in Hong Kong to bolster the city's image.

The Visits and International Conferences Sub-division runs ISD's Sponsored Visitors Programme for opinion formers, political leaders and think-tank members to visit Hong Kong to enhance their understanding of the city. The sub-division also helps draw up programmes for influential visitors on private trips to Hong Kong. In addition, it runs an Overseas Speakers Programme which arranges for senior government officials and prominent members of the community to address targeted audiences abroad, enabling them to better understand Hong Kong's strengths and latest developments.

Promoting Hong Kong Worldwide

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government's offices overseas and in the Mainland, as well as the Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office in Taiwan, play an important role in promoting Hong Kong globally. They do this through regular meetings with counterparts and contacts in the territories they cover, through visits by senior Hong Kong officials and by staging or taking part in cultural events or promotional activities such as film festivals, exhibitions and performances by Hong Kong artistes.

Europe

In 2014, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (ETO) in Brussels organised the visit of the Chief Executive, Mr CY Leung, to Brussels to renew ties with Belgium's political and business leaders and the European Union institutions. Other visiting officials included the Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang, to Paris and Milan; the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Professor K C Chan, to Brussels and Paris; the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, to Athens, Rotterdam and Amsterdam; the Secretary for Development, Mr Paul Chan Mo-po, to Paris and Barcelona; the Secretary for Education, Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, to Brussels; and the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, to Amsterdam and The Hague.

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