Highlights of "HK-Japan Year 2005": October HK Week in Japan
************************************************************ Details of the progress for the "Hong Kong Week" to be launched in mid-October as part of the "Hong Kong - Japan Year 2005" was unveiled at a press briefing held in Tokyo today (October 3).
Speaking at the press briefing, Mr Alex Fong, the Principal Representative of HK Economic & Trade Office (HKETO) in Tokyo, said this year was a significant year in developing the valued relationship between Hong Kong and Japan as this was the first time both the HKSAR and Japanese governments had teamed up to launch a year-long project to promote and strengthen bilateral ties.
The "HK-Japan Year 2005" project, coordinated by the HKETO (Tokyo) was being launched in Japan, concurrently with "Japan-HK Year 2005" coordinated by the Japanese Consul General in Hong Kong.
Noting that Japan was the third major trading partner of Hong Kong, Mr Fong said Japan and Hong Kong had been working in close partnership over the years, particularly in the areas of trade, business and bilateral tourism, and the focus in the coming HK Week events was to strengthen the ties in educational, recreational and cultural fronts.
The October Hong Kong events include:
A symposium on youth issues which are of interest to young people in Hong Kong and Japan on October 15 - Experts from Hitotsubashi University, Keio University, Sophia University, Waseda University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and the University of Hong Kong will speak at the symposium. The symposium will be followed by a roadshow of Hong Kong's universities targeting Japanese students who are interested to study in Hong Kong.
Second HK Sedan Chair Race on October 16 - The race was first introduced to Japan last year with an encouraging response. The second race will be organised on an expanded scale. The venue in Yokohama will be extended from Yamashita Park to the Chinatown. It is expected to have about 400 participants in the race and tens of thousands of visitors watching the race. Winners will be sent to Hong Kong to attend the race in Hong Kong in November.
HK pop culture symposium cum opening of HK Film Festival on October 17 - The symposium consists of a film forum and pop forum with speakers from HK and Japanese pop culture sector. Guest speakers from HK include: film director Wong Jing, artistes Cecilia Cheung, Leo Ku, Wong Ho-yin and Ivan Wang. The film "Colour of the Truth", directed by Wong Jing, will be screened as the opening film. A two-week film festival featuring 16 HK movies in different era will be staged afterwards.
Also present at the press conference was Mr Ken Kano, Regional Director - North Asia of HK Tourism Board, who talked about the new and upcoming tourist attractions in HK, including HK Disneyland, HK Wetland Park and Ngong Ping 360, as well as the promotional initiatives in Japan under the massive 2006 Discover HK Year Campaign.
The cumulative number of Japanese visitors to Hong Kong for the first seven months of 2005 is 673,365, some 17% higher than for the same period in 2004.
************************************************************ Details of the progress for the "Hong Kong Week" to be launched in mid-October as part of the "Hong Kong - Japan Year 2005" was unveiled at a press briefing held in Tokyo today (October 3).
Speaking at the press briefing, Mr Alex Fong, the Principal Representative of HK Economic & Trade Office (HKETO) in Tokyo, said this year was a significant year in developing the valued relationship between Hong Kong and Japan as this was the first time both the HKSAR and Japanese governments had teamed up to launch a year-long project to promote and strengthen bilateral ties.
The "HK-Japan Year 2005" project, coordinated by the HKETO (Tokyo) was being launched in Japan, concurrently with "Japan-HK Year 2005" coordinated by the Japanese Consul General in Hong Kong.
Noting that Japan was the third major trading partner of Hong Kong, Mr Fong said Japan and Hong Kong had been working in close partnership over the years, particularly in the areas of trade, business and bilateral tourism, and the focus in the coming HK Week events was to strengthen the ties in educational, recreational and cultural fronts.
The October Hong Kong events include:
A symposium on youth issues which are of interest to young people in Hong Kong and Japan on October 15 - Experts from Hitotsubashi University, Keio University, Sophia University, Waseda University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and the University of Hong Kong will speak at the symposium. The symposium will be followed by a roadshow of Hong Kong's universities targeting Japanese students who are interested to study in Hong Kong.
Second HK Sedan Chair Race on October 16 - The race was first introduced to Japan last year with an encouraging response. The second race will be organised on an expanded scale. The venue in Yokohama will be extended from Yamashita Park to the Chinatown. It is expected to have about 400 participants in the race and tens of thousands of visitors watching the race. Winners will be sent to Hong Kong to attend the race in Hong Kong in November.
HK pop culture symposium cum opening of HK Film Festival on October 17 - The symposium consists of a film forum and pop forum with speakers from HK and Japanese pop culture sector. Guest speakers from HK include: film director Wong Jing, artistes Cecilia Cheung, Leo Ku, Wong Ho-yin and Ivan Wang. The film "Colour of the Truth", directed by Wong Jing, will be screened as the opening film. A two-week film festival featuring 16 HK movies in different era will be staged afterwards.
Also present at the press conference was Mr Ken Kano, Regional Director - North Asia of HK Tourism Board, who talked about the new and upcoming tourist attractions in HK, including HK Disneyland, HK Wetland Park and Ngong Ping 360, as well as the promotional initiatives in Japan under the massive 2006 Discover HK Year Campaign.
The cumulative number of Japanese visitors to Hong Kong for the first seven months of 2005 is 673,365, some 17% higher than for the same period in 2004.
Ends/Monday, October 3, 2005
Issued at HKT 18:17
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