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Over 100,000 people visited the "Towards a Better Future" exhibition in Beijing to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The exhibition opened at the National Museum of China on June 27 and draws to a close today (July 11).
The two-week exhibition attracted people from all walks of life - from professionals such as teachers, military officials and law enforcement officers, members of the public such as housewives, students and retired public servants, to visitors from various provinces and foreign countries. They all came to offer their best wishes to Hong Kong and expressed hopes of knowing more about the city.
"We are deeply impressed by the positive response of the visitors and their enthusiasm about Hong Kong," said the Director of the Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing (the Beijing Office), Mr Thomas Tso.
"Many of them show strong interest in the successful implementation of the 'One Country, Two Systems' principle in Hong Kong and the latest developments in the city, in particular its economy, creative industries, cultural heritage and countryside. They also display an eagerness to understand our plans for the future, especially the various infrastructural projects. They are particularly impressed by the exhibits and interactive photo gallery, through which they understand more about Hong Kong's history.
"Some of them also indicated that they wish to visit Hong Kong in the near future after touring the exhibition," Mr Tso said.
He said that the exhibition had served as a good platform to showcase the achievements of Hong Kong in the past 15 years and to introduce to the Mainland public the SAR's developments under the "One Country, Two Systems" principle.
"I believe that by enhancing mutual understanding and communication between the two places, the Mainland and Hong Kong will be able to foster an even closer partnership in the future," he added.
Mr Tso expressed his gratitude to the Central and Beijing municipal authorities as well as various Hong Kong organisations and government departments for rendering assistance for the organisation of the exhibition.
"I am indebted to their huge support in the areas of venue co-ordination, traffic arrangements, exhibit provision, publicity and so on, without which the exhibition would not have been so successful," he said.
As part of the activities to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the HKSAR's establishment, the Beijing Office is currently holding a series of roving exhibitions in about 10 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in the northern, north-eastern, and north-western part of the Mainland on Hong Kong's developments since the reunification, with emphasis on the four pillar and six growth industries.
Ends/Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Issued at HKT 17:36
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