Hong Kong – SHETO organises celebratory events in Shanghai for 26th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to motherland (with photos)

     To celebrate the 26th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Shanghai (SHETO) unveiled a series of celebratory events today (July 1) in Shanghai. Held in a group of traditional Shanghai buildings, the events showcase the rich cultural and artistic atmosphere of Hong Kong.
      
     The event featured Hong Kong’s iconic neon signs, festive lions, street signs and other displays for attendees to experience Hong Kong’s unique culture in an immersive way. In addition, there were workshops on lion dance head-making, collaborative painting of the Drago-Cavallo. A Hong Kong-style market was also set up by Hong Kong companies.
      
     In the evening, there were cultural performances featuring Hong Kong artists invited by the SHETO, including harmonica, jazz, brass music, Cantonese opera, and contemporary dance, showcasing the diverse and captivating cultural richness of Hong Kong. A light show using bare-eye 3D technology, showcasing Hong Kong’s brilliant achievements in the fields of economy, culture, art, and humanities, is also presented on site.
      
     Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Director of the SHETO, Mrs Laura Aron, stated that exchanges between regions are gradually resuming since the pandemic subsided. The SHETO hopes that this themed event will enable mainland audience reminiscing on past experiences as well as gaining a new understanding of Hong Kong and also to learn about the city in the traditional Shanghai alleys that embody Hong Kong’s unique characteristics and savor its culture. Mrs Aron also added that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Conference, and she hopes the cooperation of the two cities would go further in the future.
      
     Delivering a speech in the opening ceremony, the Director General of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal Government, Mr Kong Fuan, expressed that with the full support of the Central Government and under the solid ground of the “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong, as the Pearl of the Orient, will continue to leverage its advantages of being backed by the motherland and connected to the world, and will definitely continue to write a new chapter of glory.
      
     Other officiating guests included Vice Minister General of the United Front Work Department of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China Ms Dong Yiwen; the Chair of the Administrative Office of the Committee for Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Overseas Chinese of the CPPCC Shanghai Committee, Mr Yao Hai; the Secretary of the CPC Hongkou District Committee of Shanghai, Mr Li Qian; Deputy Director of Shanghai Economic Commission Ms Zhu Yi; and Grand 2 Counselor of the Publicity Department of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee Mr Zhou Qiang.
      
     The SHETO also organised a gathering today for the Hong Kong residents living, working, or studying in Shanghai, to come together to celebrate the return of Hong Kong to the motherland.
      
     The series of events is organised by the SHETO and co-organised by the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, the Shanghai Hong Kong Association, and the Hong Kong-Shanghai Youth Association, and will run from today to July 9. The cultural performances, Hong Kong-style markets, and workshops will be held tomorrow (July 2), July 8 and 9, and are free to the public.
      
     The SHETO will continue to hold exhibitions, cultural performances, youth activities, and economic and trade seminars in the East China region (Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, and Shandong provinces) to promote Hong Kong to mainland audience comprehensively.