Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto)

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto) (HKETO) held an official gala dinner in Toronto on June 28 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 has 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 has not always been smooth sailing for Hong Kong, but the city continues to have the support of a solid foundation, strong business advantages, and a resilient and hard-working population," Ms Mo said.

"The theme of the HKSAR 25th anniversary celebration 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 participants on the latest developments of Hong Kong, and the 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, guests were treated to an exclusive music performance staged by a Canadian music group, the Ontario Cross-Cultural Music Society (OCMS). To celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, the President of OCMS, Mr Ken Zheng, composed a piece of theme music called “Dawn” which depicts a new beginning for Hong Kong after experiencing recent challenges. The music arrangement was done by Hong Kong singer and song-writer Wendyz Zheng, who is currently a host of a television music program in Hong Kong.