Press Release - May 22, 2002

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) and the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), are pleased to announce the Dateline Hong Kong Fellowship 2002.

The fifth annual working fellowship for Canadian journalists since the scheme was first launched in 1997, the 2002 fellowship is for journalists to acquaint themselves with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People�s Republic of China. Two fellowships are to be awarded and will see the winners travelling to Hong Kong before the end of March 2003. The package offered includes a business class return air ticket between Canada and Hong Kong, six nights� hotel accommodation inclusive of taxes, service charges and breakfast and round trip airport transfer. Funding for the 2002 fellowship will come from the HKSAR Government. In addition to visiting places of interest, winners will be able to meet people of diverse views and cultural background, such as Canadian business people, politicians and senior government officials.

To apply, each applicant must include a resume, a written proposal laying out what is to be achieved, and a written statement of support, including a letter of intent from the editor/producer to broadcast/publish stories/articles in the respective newspaper, magazine, radio or television station. The proposal can concentrate on any area of life in Hong Kong, including, but not limited to; business, trade, politics, infrastructure development, IT, tourism, housing, education, culture and environment.

Neither the HKSAR Government nor the CAJ will have any control over or rights to the work of the participants in the fellowship. Applications must reach the Canadian Association of Journalists, St Patrick�s Building, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6 by Friday, August 9, 2002. Three judges appointed by the Canadian Association of Journalists will select the winners. The result will be announced in September 2002.

Bryant Avery of Edmonton Journal, winner of Dateline Hong Kong Fellowship 2001 wrote on his return: �Hong Kong is the main entry point for Albertans eager to invest in China. This is one place in the world Canada has a strong brand �. But Canadian business leaders need to pay far more attention to Hong Kong, especially in its role as the Gateway to China.�

Writing in the Alberta Venture, March 2002 issue, D. Larraine Andrews, also winner of 2001, said: �As China slowly opens its borders to the world, cities like Shanghai and Guangzhou are hungry for a piece of the Asian wealth that has traditionally been centred in Hong Kong. The Science Park project makes it clear that HKSAR is serious about meeting the challenge.�

The third winner of the 2001 fellowship is Peter Verburg, the Alberta Bureau Chief of Canadian Business, who has just returned from his trip to Hong Kong and is now writing articles on various Hong Kong topics.

For more details of the Dateline Hong Kong Fellowship 2002, please refer to the Notice Board on the HKETO website: www.hketo.ca or visit the Canadian Association of Journalists website at www.caj.ca.

For more information, please contact John Tam, Chief Information Officer of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office at: 416-924-5544, e-mail: [email protected] or John Dickins, Canadian Association of Journalists, at 613-526-8061, e-mail: [email protected].

Ends.