Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto)

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto) (HKETO) held an official gala dinner in Vancouver on June 23 in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

In delivering the welcome remarks at the dinner, the Director of the HKETO, Ms Emily Mo, said that the HKSAR's 25th anniversary is a special occasion and an important milestone for Hong Kong. "In the past 25 years, Hong Kong continued to grow and evolve, establishing itself as the only city in the world that offers a secure and dynamic environment for business, an exciting and cosmopolitan lifestyle and direct access to the Chinese economy. It was not always smooth sailing for Hong Kong, but the city continues to have the support of a solid foundation, strong business advantages, and the resilient and hard-working population," Ms Mo said.

"The theme of the HKSAR 25th anniversary celebrations is 'A New Era - Stability, Prosperity, Opportunity'. It not only captures the spirit of Hong Kong's achievements over the past quarter century, but more importantly our confidence in a brighter future underpinned by the principle of 'one country, two systems'," Ms Mo continued.

Ms Mo also updated the participants on the latest developments of Hong Kong and the existing business opportunities for Canadian companies. In particular, she highlighted the Central Government's support for Hong Kong's development in eight key areas as laid out in the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the city's active role in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development, and strong bilateral trade relations between Canada and Hong Kong. She encouraged Canadian companies to expand to the markets in Mainland China and Asia through Hong Kong. 

Before the gala dinner came to a close, the guests were treated to an exclusive musical drama performance staged by a Canadian cultural group, Dramaone Canada. The script of the musical drama, "Button of Love", was written by noted Hong Kong Canadian director Peter Poon in celebration of the 25^th anniversary of the HKSAR. In addition, young athletes from the Hong Kong Freestyle Kendama Association also sent their best wishes to the Canadian audience with a kendama performance video.