****************************************************
The music of piano prodigy Lang Lang, who became a Hong Kong resident late last year under the Special Administrative Region's "Quality Migrant Admission Scheme", will set the scene for a series of events in 2007 in several major Canadian cities to mark the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
Speaking at a New Year reception in Toronto's National Club today (January 9, Toronto time), the Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in Canada, Mr Bassanio So, praised the overwhelming support of the business, cultural and academic sectors, especially the Chinese community in organising more than 40 events to celebrate the successful implementation of "One Country, Two Systems" and the "Hong Kong Spirit".
The innovative concept of "One Country, Two Systems" had proved to be not only workable, but it had achieved a resounding success in the 10 years after Hong Kong's return to China, Mr So said. "The closer economic integration between Hong Kong and Mainland China has created numerous opportunities not only for business people in that part of the world, but also for many Canadian companies," he said. Major Canadian business organisations such as the 57,000-member Ontario Chamber of Commerce has recognised Hong Kong's "gateway" role to the mainland in their China strategy."
One of the major business events to mark the occasion is a national forum of the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association to be held in Toronto on April 23 with the theme "A Winning Strategy for Canada: Hong Kong and Fujian", featuring business opportunities in the Pan-Pearl River Delta region.
"While Hong Kong, where China and the world come together, is the ideal place for Canadian companies to start, Fujian Province, right at the juncture of China's most economically developed areas, is an integral part of China's regional economic development strategy," Mr So said. At the forum, Hong Kong and Fujian will present the winning combination where Canadian firms look to expand in China in this new era of economic co-operation between Hong Kong and the mainland of China.
The forum is supported by the HKETO, Invest Hong Kong, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, and Chinese business associations in Ontario, as well as trade and economic development organisations of the three levels of the government.
"We expect more activities will be lining up in different Canadian cities to mark the occasion," Mr So said. The City of Edmonton will proclaim a "Hong Kong Week" in mid-March to celebrate the 10th anniversary, featuring "A Touch of Hong Kong" Gala, a Canada-Hong Kong business forum, a Hong Kong film festival, and the "Five Decades Under the Lion Rock - Courage, Aspiration and a Prosperous Future" photo exhibition. The photo exhibition, developed jointly between the HKETO and the Chinese Canadian Photographic Society of Toronto, will be touring to seven other Canadian cities.
Briefing about 160 guests including dignitaries, senior government officials, business and community leaders about a series of events being organised by the HKETO and different organisations in major Canadian cities, Mr So said the celebrations ranged from business, cultural, sports and educational events to displays, receptions and galas. "All these activities will highlight Hong Kong's vigour and vitality, as well as showing how we have successfully maintained the city as Asia's world city and a leading trading and financial centre."
A major celebration in Toronto will be the Bauhinia Gala, presented by the Centre for Information and Community Services of Ontario, with the support from about 20 community organisations. The Bauhinia Gala, which will feature the unique cuisines from the nine South China provinces and the two special administrative regions in the Pan-Pearl River Delta, will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on June 15.
The HKETO will be hosting three receptions in in Ottawa (June 21), Vancouver (June 26) and Toronto (June 28) to celebrate the 10th anniversary.
The first celebration will be on January 27 at a sold-out New Year Concert presented by the Li Delun Music Foundation at the Toronto Centre for the Arts, with pianist Lang Lang embracing the limelight, and the Toronto Festival Orchestra playing Hong Kong composer William Wu's film and television music, including Jackie Chan's "Drunken Master".
The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, which consists of 85 musicians and has commissioned more than 1,500 original compositions and arrangements that include works that delve into Chinese roots by way of existing folk songs and more avant-garde works that combine Western and Chinese instruments, is preparing to perform in Vancouver in August, and planning to also visit Toronto. Also planning an autumn visit to Toronto is Hong Kong's flagship modern dance group, City Contemporary Dance Company, which is known for its distinctive and yet diverse style.
Other major cultural presentations include:
* The Hong Kong City Choir's performance presented jointly by the Chinese Artists Society of Toronto and the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto (CCC) on June 17 at the P.C. Ho theatre.
* "From the Queen to the Chief Executive - Hong Kong Films 10 Years After the Handover" presented by the Asian Institute of the University of Toronto from May 4 to 6. Panel discussion will be held after some screenings.
* Orient Dance Company will present to the Toronto audience "The Enchanting Colours of China - the Pearl of the Orient" at a performance on May 19 at the Markham Theatre.
Hong Kong Film Nights will be presented by the HKETO at Montreal's Fantasia International Film Festival, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, and international film festivals in Vancouver and Calgary to mark the HKSAR 10th anniversary.
The Overseas Chinese Music Society (Ontario), which is formed mostly by people from Hong Kong, will present "Hong Kong, My Love" evening in early November in a celebration finale, wrapping the crowd with Hong Kong emotions and feelings through Chinese and Western music, dance and opera performances.
In June, a group of Canadian Chinese artists in Toronto, including Stephen Yau, Cheung Wai-ming, Man-wai Wu, Edward Chan, Henry Ho and Albert Au will gather together to present their creativity which bears its roots in Hong Kong, their breeding ground, in an exhibition of paintings and sculptures in Toronto and Montreal.
Sports events to celebrate the HKSAR 10th anniversary include a series of Hong Kong Cup" competitions:
* "Hong Kong Cup International Table Tennis Tournament¡¨presented by Canadian Chinese Table Tennis Association in May;
* "Hong Kong Cup Race" at the Toronto International Dragon Boat Festival on June 16 and 17;
* "Hong Kong Cup Soccer Tournament¡¨presented by Toronto Chinese Soccer Association on July 1 in Toronto; and
* "HKSAR 10th anniversary Golf Tournament", presented by the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association at Toronto's Mandarin Golf and Country Club on September 12.
Academic and educational activities to be held from February to almost the end of the year include the "Hong Kong Open Lecture /Seminar Series" organised by the Asian Institute of the University of Toronto in association with Richard Charles Lee Canada Hong Kong Library and the HKETO on topics such as¡§Hong Kong - 10 Years after its Return to China", "Hong Kong Fashion Designers", and " In Search of Good Governance: Administrative Officers of Hong Kong".
A "Hong Kong Spirit" Cup Arts and Literary Contest presented by the Chinese Arts and Literary Contest for Youth and four Hong Kong university alumni associations will invite high school students to compete in essay writing in Chinese and English, slogan writing, art project "Pearl of the Orient", and a presentation on the "Hong Kong Spirit" in May.
Different student groups at major Canadian universities will also organise In-campus Hong Kong events including displays and seminars on Hong Kong, and in-campus Hong Kong Day.
Ends/Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Issued at HKT 11:29
NNNN
