Press Conference on the Grand Series of Activities in Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Return of Hong Kong and the 2558th Anniversary of Confucius Birthday

The press conference is chaired by Huang Zecun, director of the Foreign Publicity Office of the Provincial Party Committee and the Information Office of Shandong Provincial People’s Government.

Huang Zecun: Good morning, friends from the media, ladies and gentleman.

Huang Zecun: Today, we hold a Provincial Government press conference and have invited Mr.  Deng Liguang, deputy director of the Organizing Committee for the Global Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Return of Hong Kong and Confucius Birthday and professor at City University of Hong Kong, Ms Chen Kaiyi, assistant president of Hong Kong Confucianism College, and Ms Zeng Hua, deputy secretary-general of the Organizing Committee for the Global Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Return of Hong Kong and Confucius Birthday, assistant director and deputy general manager of the Hong Kong Newspaper, Ta Kong Pao. They will give a briefing on the related affairs and answer journalists’ questions.

Huang Zecun: First of all, Mr. Deng Liguang will give a briefing on the affairs related to “the
Grand Series of Activities in Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Return of Hong Kong and
the 2558th Anniversary of Confucius Birthday”.

Deng Liguang: Good morning, friends from the media, ladies and gentleman.

Deng Liguang: Welcome to today’s press conference. I’d like to take this opportunity to give a briefing on the affairs related to the Grand Series of Activities in Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Return of Hong Kong and the 2558th Anniversary of Confucius Birthday.

Deng Liguang: I. The background and significance of the activities
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the return of Hong Kong, the Information Office of Shandong Provincial Government, Jining Municipal People’s Government, Hong Kong Confucianism College and the Hong Kong Newspaper, Ta Kong Pao, will hold “the Grand Series of Activities in Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Return of Hong Kong and the 2558th Anniversary of Confucius Birthday” in Hong Kong from 2nd to7th October, 2007. This program is assisted by Hong Kong Chinese Temples Committee and it is one important part of the numerous commemorative activities sanctioned by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Deng Liguang: This is the first time such activities are held in Hong Kong, which has positive significance in at least three respects. The first is that they enable the Hong Kong people to know much more about Confucianism. On the 10th anniversary of the Return of Hong Kong, a series of commemorative activities will be held in vivid form so as to vigorously publicize Confucianism with Confucius as its representative and make the Hong Kong people better understand and approach Confucius.

Deng Liguang: The second is that the cultural corporation and communication between Shandong and Hong Kong will be promoted. Shandong and Hong Kong enjoy a good tradition of cultural corporation and communication. As an important platform, these activities will have great propelling effect on the cultural corporation and communication between Shandong and Hong Kong in the future.

Deng Liguang: The third is that these activities are the actual practice of implementing the driving
strategy of the cultural brand of Confucius. Implementing this strategy is not only the important
handle for Shandong to develop cultural communication but also the significant content of the “going-out” strategy of our nation’s culture. Holding these activities can better popularize
Confucianism and spread the Chinese culture to the world through Hong Kong.

Deng Liguang: II. The main content of the activities
This series of activities is an organic whole and they mainly contain three big parts.

Deng Liguang: 1. Confucius Cultural exhibition. This activity will be held in Hong Kong City Hall from 2nd to 4th October, which will be hosted by the Information Office of Shandong Provincial Government.

Deng Liguang: 2. The international forum on “the Contemporary Significance of Confucian Culture”. This activity will be held in Hong Kong Causeway Bay Central Library, of which the Hong Kong Newspaper Ta Kong Pao will be in charge.

Deng Liguang: Professor Cheng Zhongying at Hawaii University, Professor Peng Lin at the History Department of Qinghua University, Professor Chen Liyu at Taiwan Normal University as well as experts and scholars from Hong Kong Tertiary Institutions will attend the forum.

Deng Liguang: 3. The Grand Confucius Memorial Ceremony. This activity will be held in Hong Kong Stadium on 7th October, hosted by Hong Kong Confucianism College, and the Information Office of Shandong Provincial People’s Government and Jining Municipal People’s Government will give it energetic assistance and support.

Huang Zecun: To hold the grand activities in celebration of the return of Hong Kong and Confucius birthday in Hong Kong is a significant measure to implement the driving strategy of the cultural brand of Confucius and expand the influence of Confucian thought in Hong Kong. We hope that all media will pay enough attention to, and give enough publicity and a good coverage to the Grand Series of Activities in Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Return of Hong Kong and the 2558th Anniversary of Confucius Birthday, so as to create an intense public opinion atmosphere for the complete success of the activities.

Huang Zecun: Today`s press conference is over. Thank you!