Press Release - June 14, 2001
While Hong Kong is the gateway to China, Vancouver is Canada's gateway to the Asia Pacific Region. The two cities have a lot in common.

"British Columbia is the top exporter to Asia amongst all Canadian provinces and Hong Kong, on the other hand, is the 10th largest export market for Canadian goods," Mrs. Rosanna Ure, Director, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Canada, said today (June 14).

She told the 300 guests at the reception in Vancouver to launch the Brand Hong Kong campaign that the link between Hong Kong and British Columbia was most apparent in the human link.

"Amongst the languages most often used by British Columbians, Chinese is ranked second, after English.

"In Greater Vancouver alone, it has been estimated that 12.5 per cent of the city's residents are from Hong Kong.

"They have brought with them our rich cultural heritage, our entrepreneurial spirit and our business acumen," Mrs. Ure said.
On the occasion to introduce the "Brand Hong Kong" campaign, she said this was Hong Kong's continuing global strategy to focus the world's attention on the many facets of Hong Kong.

"The new visual identity - the dragon - encapsulates Hong Kong's image as one of the world's most cosmopolitan and vibrant cities, reflects our rich culture and unique heritage and challenges you to explore Hong Kong as a visitor, an investor and an admirer.

"In business, the energy of the dragon translates into Hong Kong, the place where things happen, where business gets done," she said.

After China's entry into the World Trade Organization, Hong Kong will be able to leverage its proximity to and its ties and contacts with the Mainland to assist international investors to tap on the enormous opportunities that will emerge in China over the next few decades.

In addition, she said, Hong Kong is the city which marvels and fascinates and is the most popular single city tourist destination in Asia.
Of the 13 million visitors to Hong Kong last year, 250,000 were Canadians.

Joining the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office at the reception was the Hon. Greg Halsey-Brandt, Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations.

For further information please contact Chief Information Officer, Jean Chan, at 416-924-5544, or [email protected].