Anniversary celebration on HKSAR's establishment cum heritage tourism expo held in Beijing (with photo)
The Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in Beijing today (July 1) hosts a reception in Beijing to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR and kickstarts the Hong Kong Heritage Tourism Expo.
Speaking at the reception cum exhibition opening ceremony, the Director of Beijing Office, Mr Thomas Tso, said since the establishment of the HKSAR 14 years ago, Hong Kong had met many opportunities and taken on many challenges.
He said that the "One Country, Two Systems" and "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" had been successfully implemented under the Basic Law, and as part of the country, Hong Kong had established an increasingly close relations with the Mainland.
While Hong Kong was able to maintain prosperity and stability, thanks to support from the country, it was also quick to offer assistance to the country whenever it was needed or give donations in the event of disasters, he added.
Mr Tso said that this year marked the beginning of the National 12th Five-Year Plan. The Plan dedicated a chapter on Hong Kong and Macao for the first time, which established the important functions and positioning of the Hong Kong in the development strategy of the country and signified the importance placed by the country on Hong Kong and its support for the HKSAR.
He said that in the coming five years, the Government would strive to reinforce and enhance Hong Kong's position as an international centre for finance, trade and shipping and promote its development into an offshore Renminbi business centre and international asset management centre. It would also assist the country in capitalising on Hong Kong's financial market as a platform for attracting investment, allocating assets and promoting the 'go-out strategy' of Renminbi.
"Hong Kong will also nurture emerging industries, develop the six industries where it enjoys clear advantages, as well as help upgrade the country's industry structure, especially the development of its services sector. At the same time, we will continue to strengthen exchanges and co-operation with the Mainland through the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) and other regional platforms with a view to developing and servicing the Mainland market," Mr Tso said.
"We believe that with the support of the country, Hong Kong will continue to thrive and co-operation and exchanges between Hong Kong and the Mainland will become more frequent and comprehensive," he added.
Apart from fostering economic and trade relations between Hong Kong and the Mainland, Mr Tso said the Beijing Office also spared no effort in strengthening interaction between the two places on the social and cultural front.
To celebrate the 14th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, the Beijing Office and the Commissioner for Heritage's Office, Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government have collaborated in organising the Hong Kong Heritage Tourism Expo in Beijing with the aim of introducing to Beijing people different heritage tour routes in Hong Kong and showcasing its distinctive cultural history and city landscape.
Through specially designed illustrations created by Hong Kong illustrator Prudence Mak, Mainland visitors to the exhibition will be able to experience the rich history and cultural legacy of Hong Kong. The exhibition will open from today until July 5.
At the ceremony today, the Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Ms Hua Jian, joined Mr Tso in proposing a toast. Other guests attending the event included representatives from different ministries and departments of the Central People's Government, the Beijing Municipal Government, and Mainland and Hong Kong organisations.
Ends/Friday, July 1, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:02
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