A delegation of senior executives from the Hong Kong digital entertainment industry visited the United States in late October 2006. The delegation, led by the U.S. Commercial Service, created an excellent opportunity for Hong Kong senior executives to meet with American film industry leaders, technology companies and other potential business partners.

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco took the opportunity to welcome the executives from Hong Kong and brief the industry leaders in the Bay Area on the latest developments in Hong Kong’s digital entertainment industry. Meetings were also arranged for the Hong Kong delegates to explore possible collaboration with American companies.

Joining the delegation were executives from Agogo Entertainment, a comprehensive animation producer who develops, produces, distributes TV animation series and licenses cartoon properties for international markets; Asia Legend, which provides special effects and digital mastering for the TV, motion picture and advertising industries; Culturecom Holdings Ltd., which inherited Asia’s largest collection of cartoon titles outside Japan, has over 30 years of operating history; as well as Jidou Limited which represents a dynamic new force in Hong Kong’s special entertainment industry.

In welcoming the Hong Kong delegation, Ms Doris Cheung, Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco said, “Hong Kong is actively building on its position as a world digital city and a leading digital entertainment hub in the Asia Pacific region. With our excellent telecommunications infrastructure and dynamic innovative workforce, Hong Kong is well equipped to take advantage of the economic opportunities that the digital entertainment market can offer. Our broadband penetration, which covers 67% of households, is the second highest in the world. On the software side, we have a sizeable pool of creative and tech-savvy digital entertainment talents who receive international acclaim.”

“To spearhead the growth and development of the digital entertainment industry, the government-backed Cyberport has set up the Digital Media Center and the Digital Entertainment Incubation-and-Training Center. Together, these two Centers offer world-class facilities and expertise on animation creation, game and multimedia development, as well as digital film and video production for practitioners in the industry,” she continued.

The reception was not only well received by the delegates from Hong Kong, many local industry leaders also welcomed the opportunity to meet with the delegation.