In February, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, San Francisco (HKETO SF) hosted spring receptions in five western cities to ring in the Year of the Pig. Boonfaysau, an award-winning group of young a cappella singers from Hong Kong was invited to perform at these spring receptions across three western states in the United States.
The series of receptions began on February 4 in San Francisco; where close to 300 guests enjoyed the flash mob and stage performances by this eight-member group. The choice of medleys, which included popular hits in the U.S. and Hong Kong, fully displayed the East meets West culture of Hong Kong. In every city, the group wowed the audience who in turn gave them a very warm welcome.
The Director of HKETO SF. Mr Ivanhoe Chang addressed the different political, business, art and culture communities at the reception. He said the office was glad to invite talents from Hong Kong to the U.S..
“Last year, we had an amazing rope skipping team that impressed our audiences with their unique techniques. For a change of scene, we have this wonderful a cappella group, Boonfaysau, performing at our spring receptions this year. Since its inception in 2017, the group has won several competitions in Hong Kong and abroad. We are as excited as they are in showcasing our young, home-grown talents.
“Hong Kong has a vibrant art and cultural scene, and the city is completing one of the world’s biggest cultural projects. The West Kowloon Cultural District is rising by the waterfront of Hong Kong. The Cultural District’s dedicated Chinese opera house, the Xiqu Centre, just opened in January, “ Mr Chang said.
Mr Chang also took the opportunity to update the guests on Hong Kong’s recent developments as an innovation and technology hub. He said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has allocated about US$10 billion for innovation and technology initiatives and encouraged US companies to explore opportunities and partnerships with Hong Kong.
He made special mentions about the new infrastructure including the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, opened in September and October 2018 respectively. Hong Kong is now well connected to other parts of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, a regional development of national strategic importance with a population of some 70 million and a gross domestic product of US$ 1.5 trillion.
Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA, Mr Eddie Mak also spoke at the receptions in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle. He said that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and China’s Belt and Road Initiative offer enormous trade, investment and commercial potential.
He pointed out that Hong Kong remains a free trade practitioner and a supporter of the multilateral trading system. “Thanks to our economic resilience and embrace of free market principles, Hong Kong has been ranked the world’s freest economy for 25 consecutive years by the Heritage Foundation.
Hong Kong is always open to investors and businesses from the U.S. “Hong Kong has long enjoyed a mutually beneficial partnership with the U.S., Hong Kong’s second largest trading partner.
“Wherever I go in the U.S., I am keen to emphasise that the U.S. enjoys a US$ 34.5 billion goods and services trade surplus with Hong Kong. This is testimony to the mutual benefit of having a stable and seamless relationship between our economies,” he continued.
He added that in addition to the commercial relationship, Hong Kong values its partnership with the U.S. in areas such as counter-terrorism, maintaining strict export controls and combating money-laundering and drug-trafficking.
Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, San Francisco, Mr Ivanhoe Chang (left); Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA, Mr Eddie Mak (centre); and Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco, Mr Wang Donghua (right) are pictured with the lion dance troupe at the Spring Reception in San Francisco.
|
|
A Capella group from Hong Kong, Boonfaysau, performs at the Spring Reception in San Francisco.
|
Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA, Mr Eddie Mak (right) and Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, San Francisco, Mr Ivanhoe Chang (left) conduct the eye-dotting ceremony at the Spring Reception in Los Angeles.
|
|
Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, San Francisco, Mr Ivanhoe Chang (right); Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA, Mr Eddie Mak (centre); and Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Los Angeles, Mr Zhang Ping (left) are pictured with the lion dance troupe at the Spring Reception in Los Angeles.
|
The Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA, Mr Eddie Mak, speaks at the spring reception in Los Angeles.
|
|
A Capella group from Hong Kong, Boonfaysau, performs at the Spring Reception in Los Angeles.
|
A Capella group from Hong Kong, Boonfaysau, performs at the Spring Reception in Seattle.
|
|
|
Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, San Francisco, Mr Ivanhoe Chang (left) and Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Houston, Mr Li Qiangmin (right) are pictured with the lion dance troupe at the Spring Reception in Houston.
|
|
A Capella group from Hong Kong, Boonfaysau, performs at the Spring Reception in Houston.
|
The Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, San Francisco, Mr Ivanhoe Chang, speaks at the spring reception in Dallas.
|
|
A Capella group from Hong Kong, Boonfaysau, performs at the Spring Reception in Dallas.
|
 |
| |
|
