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British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair and the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee-hwa have stressed that links between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom (UK) have continued to strengthen five years after the handover.

These are stated in their congratulatory messages to the Hong Kong Festival in London, a 3-month summer festival serves to further raising the profile of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Britain.

The festival has been put together by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London (HKETO). It aims to highlight Hong Kong as an economic powerhouse of Asia and a culturally vibrant city in its own right.

In his message, Mr Blair said he was delighted that Hong Kong had continued to prosper as the UK's second largest trading partner in Asia, after only Japan.

"Our links with Hong Kong are expanding and cover a wide range of issues, including environmental co-operation, law enforcement and civil service reform.

"As co-signatories to the Joint Declaration, the UK remains firmly committed to Hong Kong," he said.

The Chief Executive said in his message that he looked forward to further enhancing mutual understanding between the two places and strengthening this important partnership between Britain and Hong Kong.

Mr Tung said the festival would introduce recent developments in Hong Kong to Britain, the city's unique culture and lifestyle, creativity and innovation as well as the excellent infrastructure that underpinned its position as Asia's world city.

As the UK's Special Representative for International Investment and Trade, Prince Andrew praised the way Hong Kong had weathered the Asian financial storm and turned the "imaginative formula" of "One Country, Two Systems" into a successful reality.

The Hong Kong Festival in London is the most extensive Hong Kong event of its kind ever held in the city.

The Director General of the HKETO, Mr Andrew Leung, said the festival was intended to coincide with the celebration of the 5th anniversary of the founding of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

He said the exciting multi-faceted programme would offer an interesting look at the lifestyle, paintings, photography, film-making and performing arts of Hong Kong.

"Our aim is to introduce to London, as a world city in Europe, the different perspectives which underline Hong Kong as Asia's world city," he added.

Mr Leung said the festival was designed to capture the unique mixture of Hong Kong where the best of both the West and the East meet, as a great city poised for the future.

The festival will be set in motion by two seminars featuring the latest political and economic development of the special administrative region.

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council will hold a business seminar entitled "Hong Kong: Your Trade Platform in Asia" on July 2, 2002.

Another seminar featuring Hong Kong's Prospects Five Years After the Transition will be held on July 3, 2002. This is a joint effort by the HKETO with the London School of Economics and Political Science. Mr Leung will deliver a keynote speech "Hong Kong: Beyond the Clouds".

A major exhibition showcasing Hong Kong's architecture and infrastructure will be held at the Royal Institute of British Architects between July 10 and August 15, 2002.

"Hong Kong: City on the Move" will be officially opened by Lord Foster, designer of some of the most striking buildings in the world, including the Hong Kong International Airport and the HSBC's Hong Kong headquarters.

A wide range of modern Chinese ink paintings from the Hong Kong Museum of Art will be on display at the Brunei Gallery, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London from July 9 to September 20. "Hong Kong Cityscapes - Ink painting in Transition" will feature works of 21 established Hong Kong artists.

There will also be a roving exhibition of photographs by Hong Kong's own Frank Fischbeck which shows Hong Kong as a photographer's dream that can amaze at every turn.

A season of films, milestones in their own rights of cinema over the past decade, will be shown at the Institute of Contemporary Arts between July 11 to 21, 2002.

A total of 17 films selected are testament to Hong Kong's film industry's growth in maturity. Director Stanley Kwan will address the audience on the first night of the film festival.

Students from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts are due to hold concerts at various Central London venues.

Along side the variety of exhibitions and other cultural events, well-known figures from Hong Kong including Alan Chan, Freeman Lau and David Tang will give a series of lectures on Hong Kong Style.

On sports and recreation, there will be dragon boat race and a Hong Kong Golf Charity Day. This year, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's annual Hong Kong Day at Ascot, which itself attracts many leading racing figures from Hong Kong, also features in the overall festival.

To help promote the festival in London, a website has been set up at http://www.hongkongfestival.org

End/Sunday, June 30, 2002

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