The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Sydney (Sydney ETO) showcased Hong Kong's vibrancy at the Sydney Lunar Festival Dragon Boat Races held in Sydney, Australia, on January 28 and 29.

     More than 4 000 paddlers churned up the waters during the two-day event in Darling Harbour. The Sydney ETO organised the Hong Kong team to compete in the Social Category on January 29. The team was the champion of the Hong Kong Dynamic Cup and came second in the Hong Kong Talents Cup.

     The Sydney ETO set up a marquee during the dragon boat race period to promote the latest developments in Hong Kong, notably the exciting international sports events held in the city and various talent attraction initiatives put forward by the Government. The iconic skyline of Victoria Harbour was also on display to demonstrate the uniqueness of Hong Kong as a thriving global destination for business and tourism.

     "As we celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, it is worth highlighting that Hong Kong is now starting anew, full of new opportunities as we resume full connectivity with the world. The city has returned to centre stage in the global arena as the most desirable place in Asia for people to live, work and invest, and is rapidly developing into the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchanges as supported by the National 14th Five-Year Plan," a spokesman for the Sydney ETO said today (January 30).

     The Sydney Lunar Festival, organised by the City of Sydney, is one of the largest celebrations of the Lunar New Year outside Asia. Running from January 21 to February 5, the Festival this year returns with an array of programmes including cultural performances, a lion dance and a lunar lanterns display.

     The Dragon Boat Races, which is the biggest event of its kind in the southern hemisphere, was a highlight of the Festival, attracting tens of thousands of spectators. Four of the races this year were named the Hong Kong Talents Cup, the Hong Kong Dynamic Cup, the Hong Kong Brighter Tomorrow Cup and the Hong Kong Charity Cup, with trophies presented by the Director of the Sydney ETO, Miss Trista Lim.

     The spokesman added that the Festival brought a lot of excitement to the Sydney community, and Sydney ETO staff were delighted to be part of it once again to promote Hong Kong and share the joy of the Year of the Rabbit with the local community.

     The Sydney ETO also displayed Hong Kong-themed banners with Lunar New Year greetings in selected major locations across Sydney during the festive period.

Ends/Monday, January 30, 2023
Issued at HKT 16:19

NNNN