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Media and Communications
business seminars and gala dinners to orchestral performances, dance, drama, visual art and photo exhibitions, and sports events. The office also extended the theme 'Together. Progress. Opportunity to cover Hong Kong's bilateral ties with the ASEAN countries.
The office offers the ASEAN Internship Scheme for Hong Kong Higher Education Students to broaden the perspectives of tertiary students from eight University Grants Committee-funded institutions, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Hong Kong Shue Yan University and Hang Seng Management College. In 2017, it helped about 150 students take up internships in eight ASEAN countries.
The Jakarta ETO, which began operation in June 2016, represents the HKSAR Government in matters with ASEAN as a whole, and with the individual ASEAN countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and the Philippines.
In 2017, the office continued to establish its network in the four countries through meeting different interlocutors. It also supported five visits by the Financial Secretary; the Secretary for Justice, Mr Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung; the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong Wai-lun; and the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development to foster bilateral relations.
HKSAR anniversary activities included a photo exhibition and dragon boat festival in Indonesia, as well as gala dinners and business seminars to promote Hong Kong and the Belt and Road Initiative in all four countries. The office also held Chinese New Year receptions, outreach seminars and market visits to second-tier cities in Indonesia such as Bandung and Surabaya to promote Hong Kong's advantages.
Australia and New Zealand
The Sydney ETO promotes Hong Kong in Australia and New Zealand. It participates in high- profile events, including the City of Sydney Chinese New Year Dragon Boat Races and Auckland Lantern Festival, and organises career talks in Sydney, Canberra and Auckland to attract overseas talent to opportunities in Hong Kong. On the business front, the office supports the Hong Kong Australia Business Association and Hong Kong New Zealand Business Association to organise trade events highlighting Hong Kong's advantages.
In 2017, the office organised the Sydney visit of the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang. Celebrations for the HKSAR's 20th anniversary kicked off with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra's premiere performances in Sydney and Melbourne, and showcased the strengths of Hong Kong from finance to the food culture. The office brought in children, youths, businessmen and performing groups from Hong Kong to mark this memorable occasion with people in Australia and New Zealand.
Mainland and Taiwan
On the Mainland, celebrations of the HKSAR's 20th anniversary were spearheaded by the Beijing Office and the four Hong Kong ETOS in Chengdu, Guangdong, Shanghai and Wuhan. The Beijing Office organised the 'Together Progress Opportunity - Exhibition in Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Return of Hong Kong to the Motherland' at the National Museum of China and roving exhibitions of the same theme in provinces, municipalities and autonomous
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