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The Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office (Taiwan) (HKETCO) is taking part in the 2013 Central Taiwan Lantern Festival in Taichung, as a co-organiser, to promote Hong Kong in Taiwan.
The HKETCO Director, Mr John Leung, today (February 18) said that there have been many exchanges between Hong Kong and Taichung over the past years.
"This is the third time that Hong Kong has been invited to participate in the Central Taiwan Lantern Festival. This year is our first time to join the festival as a co-organiser," he said.
Mr Leung pointed out that the lantern festival attracts a huge number of visitors every year and it is a great opportunity for HKETCO to promote the image of Hong Kong at the festival. In the past two years, the Hong Kong lanterns were well received by the Taiwan community.
Located at a main entrance of the festival venue, the Hong Kong lanterns for this year feature a pair of wealth gods more than five metres tall. With a modern and lively image, one of the wealth gods is holding a gold ingot and a jade ruyi symbolising good wealth and fortune, while another is holding a Chinese fai chun bringing blessings to the people.
"The pair of wealth gods is a blend of old and new and the lanterns' lively image represents the diversity and vibrancy of Hong Kong," Mr Leung said.
A publication focusing on the arts and culture of Hong Kong, entitled "Art and Culture@Hong Kong", will also be distributed for free at the festival to introduce to the Taiwan community the different aspects of Hong Kong.
Depicting the unique culture of Hong Kong, "Art and Culture@Hong Kong" features the local culture, films, music, design, performing and visual arts, fine food, nature and wildlife of Hong Kong, as well as the lifestyle of foreign people living in Hong Kong.
Beyond the lantern display, HKETCO has also helped arrange for a Hong Kong singer to perform at the closing ceremony of the lantern festival.
"We hope that Taiwan people, apart from seeing our lanterns and enjoying Hong Kong pop music in Taichung, will come to visit Hong Kong to experience the glamour of Asia's world city," Mr Leung added.
The 2013 Central Taiwan Lantern Festival will be held from today to March 3 at Wenxin Forest Park, Taichung.
Ends/Monday, February 18, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:30
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