Hong Kong Dragon roars into Lion City
Three single-decker buses decked with the Brand Hong Kong design - a stylised dragon - were officially launched today (March 16) in Singapore to promote Hong Kong as Asia's world city.
Officiating at the launch ceremony, the Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in Singapore, Mr Rex Chang, ceremonially pumped "Hong Kong energy" into a Brand Hong Kong bus displayed at the plaza of the Fullerton Singapore. About 100 guests witnessed the ceremony.
The body of the three buses were wrapped in a Brand Hong Kong design - a stylised dragon, and the brand logo "Asia's world city". The five core values of the brand: Stable, Free, Progressive, High Quality and Opportunity were printed on the buses. Photos illustrating Hong Kong concepts, such as opportunity, creativity and entrepreneurship were also displayed prominently on the bodies of the three buses.
The three Brand Hong Kong buses will ply major bus routes in Singapore in the next three months. The buses will be running on a highway linking Singapore's Changi Airport to the central business district of the city. At the heart of city, the buses will be running along Orchard Road, the golden mile for shoppers in Singapore. With the Hong Kong Dragon running shuttle services in the Lion City every day, the eye-catching Hong Kong brand will capture maximum attention of Singapore residents and international tourists.
Speaking at the launch, Mr Chang said the brand would publicise among other things, Hong Kong's strong competitive position as a gateway to Mainland China as well as a hub for business throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
"The dragon's free-flowing lines - which incorporate both the Chinese characters for 'Hong Kong' and the English letters HK - embody the free spirit of Hong Kong people," he said.
"The Brand Hong Kong Dragon represents our core values - stability, freedom progressiveness, high quality and opportunity.
"These underpin the uniqueness of our society and development as a sophisticated economy."
Updating guests on the latest economic situation in Hong Kong, Mr Chang said Hong Kong's economy staged a V-shaped rebound after SARS and the economic growth rate for 2003 in real terms was 3.3%.
He said the Financial Secretary, Mr Henry Tang, in delivering his first Budget speech last week expected Hong Kong's economic recovery in 2004 to be more deeply seated and broadly based.
Mr Chang also said the Financial Secretary had highlighted in his Budget speech that Hong Kong's economic growth in 2004 would be aided by the ongoing implementation of the Mainland/Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, increased tourist arrivals from the Mainland and solid growth in external trade, including robust performance of offshore trade and professional services exports.
"The economic growth in real terms for 2004 is forecast to be 6%," the Director said.
On Brand Hong Kong promotion, Mr Chang said that since the brand was launched in Hong Kong in 2001, the HKETO in Singapore had staged many large-scale promotional programmes such as launching receptions, Brand Hong Kong Skytrain in Bangkok and roving photo exhibitions in major cities across the ASEAN region.
"It is our hope that in the years ahead Brand Hong Kong becomes an instantly recognisable Hong Kong icon all over the world."
Ends/Tuesday, March 16, 2004
NNNN
