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As part of the campaign to Relaunch Hong Kong in Europe and to celebrate the sixth anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Academy Chamber Music Ensemble of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts gave an acclaimed performance of classical Chinese and Western music to over 200 guests in Brussels today (July 9 Brussels time).
This was the second European date for the Ensemble this week. At a concert in Utrecht, the Netherlands, yesterday (July 8) it received a warm reception from over 250 guests from political, academic and business circles.
The Ensemble is touring Europe at the initiative of the "Hong Kong family": the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the Hong Kong Tourism Board and the Hong Kong Societies in the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Germany. Cathay Pacific Airways, which sponsored the air tickets for the group, made the tour possible. The overseas Chinese communities in Europe also provided support to the Ensemble.
In his welcoming remarks to the audience in Brussels today, the Special Representative of Hong Kong to the European Communities, Mr Christopher Jackson, said that the event was intended to show that Hong Kong was on the rebound after winning its three-month battle against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome; to celebrate the arts in Hong Kong; and to mark six years of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
"These six years have been a time of economic adjustment and political development," he said. "In typical Hong Kong fashion we have made a good deal of noise about both. We set very high standards for ourselves."
Mr Jackson said that Hong Kong people expected to have the world's freest economy (a ranking that was reaffirmed by the Cato Institute this week), the lowest crime and corruption rates in the region, the busiest container port, the most popular international airport, the busiest air-cargo hub, the most independent judiciary, the strongest legal system, and the widest guaranteed freedoms.
"Anything that might possibly detract from these expectations is loudly debated and criticized. That is the Hong Kong way.
"There has been a good deal of debate recently about national security legislation which Article 23 of our constitution requires us to enact. We have consulted widely, given many reassurances that Hong Kong's freedoms will not be affected, and the draft legislation has been adjusted to take account of many points made. But the public remains worried. The Chief Executive has deferred passage of the legislation to allow time for further deliberation and explanations. This is what open and accountable government is all about".
Mr Jackson said the economic adjustment process is starting to bear fruit: 5.1% GDP growth in the last quarter of 2002, 4.5% in the first quarter of this year.
"The Hong Kong attributes of openness and vibrancy, and the economic success they have generated, in turn have fuelled a tremendous diversification and enrichment of Hong Kong arts and culture. The students you witness today are already attaining professional standards, but they bring the enthusiasm of youth and the dynamism of Hong Kong. They make me proud to represent Hong Kong," he said.
The students of the Academy Chamber Music Ensemble, some of whom are visiting Europe for the first time, are very excited and also very eager to encourage Europeans to visit Hong Kong. Said one: "We have overcome SARS and we are proudly looking ahead."
Mr Manfred Loeb, Honorary Chairman of the Belgian Hong Kong Society, said the Ensemble gave an excellent performance that "contains the right mix of east and west. The balance of classical and modern pieces reflects the real spirit of Hong Kong - Asia's World City."
The Ensemble will proceed to Paris where they will give a performance tomorrow (July 10). On July 16, they will perform in Frankfurt in the presence of the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Frederick Ma, who will pay a visit to Germany's financial capital.
End/Thursday, July 10, 2003
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