Events in 2006 Events in 2006

Hong Kong hosts ITU TELECOM WORLD 2006. Offi ciating at the opening ceremony (from left) are the Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Mr Wu Bangguo, ITU Secretary-General, Mr Yoshio Utsumi, and 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Professor Muhammad Yunus. Events in 2006

Right: The Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Mr Jia Qinglin, talks to students who are conducting experiments at the Wetland Discovery Centre of Wetland Park. Below: Hong Kong’s athletes back from the 15th Asian Games in meet the Chief Executive. Hong Kong won six gold, 12 silver and 10 bronze medals. Events in 2006

World-renowned astrophysicist Professor Stephen Hawking delivers a lecture on ‘The Origin of the Universe’ at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Events in 2006

Above: World leaders, including the Chief Executive, in Vietnamese costume at the 14th Economic Leaders’ Meeting of Asia-Pacifi c Economic Cooperation in Hanoi. Right: The Financial Secretary, Mr Henry Tang, speaks at the presentation ceremony of the Hong Kong Information and Communications Technology Awards. Events in 2006

Top: The Chief Executive launches the Action Blue Sky campaign to improve air quality. Above: The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Rafael Hui, speaks at the seminar on the 16th anniversary of the promulgation of the Basic Law. Left: The Secretary for Justice, Mr Wong Yan Lung, meets the Attorney General of the United States, Mr Alberto Gonzales, in Washington, DC. Events in 2006

Courtesy of Xinhua News Agency Top: The Chief Executive and delegates attend the Economic Summit on ’s 11th Five-Year Plan and the Development of Hong Kong. Above: Former Director of Health, Dr Margaret Chan, on her appointment as The Chief Executive speaks at the opening of the Director-General of the Hong Kong-France Business Partnership Plenary Meeting World Health Organisation. in Paris. Winners Winners

Winners of four of Hong Kong’s six gold medals from the 15th Asian Games in Doha – from left, Chan King-yin (windsurfi ng), Chan Yun-to (bodybuilding), Cheung King-wai and Wong Kam-po (cycling). In the run-up to hosting the , Hong Kong is investing in new sports infrastructure, training facilities and programmes. Winners

Above: A gold medal of the Asian Games in Doha. Right: Cycling gold medallists Cheung King-wai (left) and Wong Kam-po. Bottom: Players compete at the Cathay Pacifi c Swiss Privilege Hong Kong Squash Open 2006.

U m (up

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c Winners

Photos: Courtesy of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China

Upper left: Men’s table tennis doubles gold medallists Ko Lai-chak (left) and Li Ching, and (upper right) women’s singles winner (right) and silver medallist Yip Pui-yin. Above: The annual School Indoor Rowing Challenge and (right) Hong Kong Equestrian Federation’s fun day celebrating the 600-day countdown to the 2008 Olympic Games. Winners

Above left: Basketball is one of the sports of the District Sports Teams Training Scheme, providing intensive coaching and competition opportunities and (above right) a children’s sports day organised by the Chinese Sports & Recreation Association. Right: Students’ annual wushu performance, part of the School Sports Programme. New age New age

Hong Kong has positioned itself at the forefront of the digital age. In December the city hosted ITU TELECOM WORLD 2006 – the fi rst time this state-of-the-art communications technology event was held outside Geneva. New age

Above, right and top overleaf: ITU TELECOM WORLD 2006 is a huge exhibition-cum-forum – also known as the ‘Olympics’ of the telecommunications industry. It attracted some 62 000 visitors from more than 140 countries. New age

Upper right: Over 400 booths were set up at the Hong Kong Computer & Communications Festival. Above: The annual Asia Game Show is a testing ground for the latest high-tech games. Left: Wakamaru, a Japanese domestic robot on show at the 8th Asia-Pacifi c Intelligent Transport System (ITS) Forum & Exhibition. New age

Inset and right: The 8th Asia-Pacifi c ITS Forum & Exhibition drew over 30 exhibitors from various countries. Above: The Asia Game Show attracted more than 200 exhibitors from the Mainland, Hong Kong and overseas. Future pillars

Future pillars

Today’s university students enjoy a wider range of subjects and activities than their counterparts in the past, are more active in sports, and have greater opportunity to mix with Mainland and overseas students. There are also more university places than ever before. Future pillars

Above left and right: Chan Wai-kei (windsurfi ng) and Lam Po-kuen (tennis) were among 15 students and alumni of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) participating in the Asian Games in Doha. Bottom: Nursing students of the Chinese University of Hong Kong perform at the Faculty of Medicine’s silver jubilee dinner.

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Co Photos: Courtesy of the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the City University of Hong Kong Future pillars

HKU students at play.

Above: ‘Global Voyage 2006’ – a special exhibition organised by the City University of Hong Kong celebrating international culture. Right: Mainland students at City University – over 400 have been admitted under the National Joint College Entrance Examination Scheme. Future pillars

Top: Students at Hong Kong Shue Yan University ecstatic about their college becoming the city’s fi rst private university. Above left: Students at Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s School of Design have a round table discussion and (above right) get down to work. Happy together Happy together

Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city where people of different races and walks of life work and live in enviable harmony. Happy together

Top: Launching of the ‘Family at Heart’ campaign which includes a series of government activities to strengthen family education. Above: Primary and secondary students receive special scholarships under a government scheme to give recognition to schools for building racial harmony. Left: Playtime for young and old. Happy together

Left: Good food and company always make for a happy time. Above: Elders take part in a community fi tness programme. Lower left: A cross-cultural knees-up in Victoria Park showcases traditional Indonesian song, dance and craft. Below: Family unity gets a lift with a cushion displaying the Chinese characters for ‘harmony’.

mily t Happy together

Inset and above: Abled and disabled enjoying time together, and (right) a fun afternoon in the park for young and old. Food watch Food watch

The Centre for Food Safety was set up under the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to improve food safety assessment and to meet public demand for better food hygiene standards. The gas chromatograph is used to measure the cholesterol, trans fats, pesticide residue and organic contamination levels of food. Food watch

Above: A health inspector at the Airport Food Inspection Offi ce, part of the Centre for Food Safety, checks a consignment of imported airfreighted food. Upper right: Strict monitoring of avian infl uenza – staff at the Man Kam To Animal Inspection Station collect blood samples from an imported chicken. Lower right: A health inspector at Man Kam To Food Control Offi ce collects test samples from a truck bringing vegetables into Hong Kong by road. Food watch

Above: A health inspector checks raw meat in a supermarket to see if it meets the required food hygiene standards. Left: Monitoring of prepacked food ensures that labelling is correct. Below: The latest equipment guarantees that prepacked chilled fi sh is displayed at proper temperature. Food watch

Above left and right: A chemist in the Food Research Laboratory, part of the Centre for Food Safety, tests for pesticide residue in vegetables. Right: Chemical testing and food research provide scientifi c data and information for food safety risk assessment. Goodwill fun

Goodwill fun

Runners from across the world made the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon a truly international event. spital Goodwill fun

Above: A New Territories walk organised by the Community Chest. Right and bottom: The MSF Orienteering Competition at Lavender Garden in Fanling drew 2 000 participants in support of Médecins Sans Frontières.

Photos: Gary Ma and Samuel To/Médecins Sans Frontières Goodwill fun

Some 40 000 athletes packed the streets of Hong Kong for the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon.

Sans Goodwill fun

Courtesy of Pok Oi Hospital Top: The annual sedan chair race is the main fundraising event of the Matilda Sedan Chair Race Charities Fund. Above left: Members of Police Tactical Unit Headquarters threw their weight into the ‘Saxon Pull’ – hauling a 9.5-tonne armoured vehicle for Operation Santa Claus. Above right: ‘dance-for-love’ activity organised by Pok Oi Hospital. Pristine

Pristine

Hong Kong’s countryside offers a refuge for wildlife and recreational space for locals and visitors. Sham Wan beach on Lamma Island provides an important breeding ground for the endangered green turtles. Pristine

Top: Ping Chau in Mirs Bay, 10 kilometres northeast of Hong Kong, is protected as a country park and a marine park. Above: Fiddler crab, common in Hong Kong’s wetland. Right: Enticing Tai Long Wan on the east coast of Sai Kung Peninsula. Pristine

Above: Picturesque Lamma Island is easily reached by ferry. Left: Hong Kong’s seas are home to about 1 000 species of marine fi sh and over 100 types of coral.

Pristine

Inset: Jamaica vervain is found in Victoria Peak and Pui O. Tai Tam Reservoir (above), Kowloon Peak (above right) and Plover Cove (right) – near the city but a different world. State-of-the-art State-of-the-art

Voted ‘Best Airport’ for the fourth year in a row, Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) continues to meet the expectations of today’s demanding air travellers who are pampered with exciting shopping and entertainment at its second terminal, SkyPlaza. State-of-the-art

Inset: The airport’s clear glass sunroof, a feature of its award-winning design. Above: An aerial view of the airport. Right: The Civil Aviation Department’s Air Traffi c Control Centre serves aircraft operating within the Hong Kong fl ight information region round the clock. State-of-the-art

Upper left: Few world airports can match the speed and effi ciency of HKIA’s check-in and passenger fl ow. Upper right: Hassle-free twilight scene. Above: The Civil Aviation Department endorsed in July 2006 HKIA’s Code 4F aerodrome reclassifi cation, to accommodate aircraft wingspans of up to 80 metres, such as the giant A380. State-of-the-art

Upper left and right: Speed and effi cient handling have made Hong Kong the world’s busiest international air cargo hub. Lower left: Top quality aviation security services facilitate the safe operation of civil aviation at the HKIA. Lower right: November 18 saw the new Airbus A380 super jumbo make its fi rst Hong Kong stopover on its route-proving fl ight to Asia. Eco-attractions Eco-attractions

Hong Kong Wetland Park, a world-class conservation, education and tourist facility opened in May 2006. Located near the internationally important bird and wildlife reserve – Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site – the park offers a chance to get close to nature. Eco-attractions Eco-attractions

Hong Kong Wetland Park’s visitor centre at night. Eco-attractions

Above: Exhibits in the Living Wetlands Gallery educate visitors about wetland biodiversity. Left: A young bird-watcher gets even closer to the birds. Eco-attractions

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Inset: A pied avocet, one of hundreds of bird species in the park. Middle: A wetland interpreter briefs students on the importance of the Ramsar Convention for protecting wetlands worldwide. Lower left and right: Students playing interactive ‘eco-games’. Eco-attractions

Inset: Water lilies. Above: With 60 hectares and a 10 000 square metres visitor centre, the park is the largest of its kind in the world. Upper right: Visitors enter the park’s mangrove swamps. Lower right: Black-winged stilts take a rest. Eco-attractions Eco-attractions E

Top: A close encounter with Pui Pui, Hong Kong’s celebrity crocodile. Above: Waterbirds feed on the park’s mudfl ats (left), and boardwalks offer a close-up view of wildlife and plants (right). Tourist Hot Spots Tourist Hot Spots

The Hong Kong Tourism Board designated 2006 ‘Discover Hong Kong Year’, and a record 25 million-plus tourists did just that. New attractions such as the rooftop viewing terrace of Peak Tower were unveiled, while Hong Kong’s traditional hot spots remained popular. Tourist Hot Spots

Above: The best way to The Peak. Upper right: Getting to and from Ocean Park. Right and below: The new jellyfi sh exhibit and ‘Whiskers’, the sea lion, posing with young fans. Tourist Hot Spots

Left: The Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui provides great photo opportunities. Below: It is also a prime location for viewing the spectacular ‘A Symphony of Lights’. Tourist Hot Spots

Above: Stanley Market has always been a big draw, and riding the Central to Mid-Levels Escalator is also a must-do activity for tourists. Upper right: The Buddhist Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island. Lower right: Lan Kwai Fong, gathering place for night revellers and food-lovers. City in bloom

City in bloom

A red-whiskered bulbul perches among the fl owers of a tree cotton. Hong Kong’s urban scene is not just about buildings – parks and gardens are abundant, acting as green lungs inside the busy city. City in bloom

Inset and above: Nan Lian Garden, designed in the classical style of the Tang dynasty, offers a peaceful refuge in busy Kowloon. Right: Hong Kong Park in Central is a popular lunchtime spot for offi ce workers. City in bloom

Upper left and bottom: Kowloon Park, one of the larger city parks, offers many attractions including a children’s playground and scenic paths. Above and lower left: Hong Kong Flower Show, Victoria Park. Colourful fl owers present a photo opportunity. City in bloom

Inset and above: Every March the Hong Kong Flower Show attracts thousands of fl ower lovers and horticulturalists from near and far. Right: The Lotus Show, mid-summer Hong Kong Park. Over 1 600 pots were on display. Rich culture Rich culture

To raise community awareness and preserve the ancient art of Cantonese Opera, the cultural administrators of Guangdong, Macao and Hong Kong have designated the last Sunday of November each year since 2003 as Cantonese Opera Day. Rich culture

Courtesy of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts

Inset: Two of the stars of Cantonese Opera Day in full Ca costume and make-up. an Above: The Cantonese Opera, e ‘The Cosmic Mirror’, performed by students of co the Hong Kong Academy for a Performing Arts. lip Right: Performance at Ko defi Shan Theatre. Rich culture

Applying make-up for Cantonese Opera is a lengthy and specialised process, with each role requiring unique colours and patterns. A common style is the ‘white and red face’ with crimson lips, pink cheeks and highly defi ned eyes painted on white foundation. Rich culture

Following the success of the fi rst three events, the fourth Cantonese Opera Day was held in November at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Famous stars, budding artists and children’s troupes took part, under the banner: ‘Upholding the legacy of Cantonese Opera’. Weekend outing

Weekend outing

Paddling about at Tai Mei Tuk, Tai Po. On weekends, Hong Kong heads for the countryside, islands and beaches. Hiking, fi shing and swimming are favourite pastimes, and nobody needs to travel far to reach a chosen spot. Weekend outing

Inset and above: Repulse Bay Beach on Hong Kong Island’s south coast is popular with families. Right: Family fun at Plover Cove Reservoir. Weekend outing

Upper left and right: One girl fl ies a kite and another blows bubbles at Tai Mei Tuk, Tai Po. Middle and lower left: Hikers on Lamma Island and Tai Tam Country Park. Weekend outing

Top: Pak Sha Wan, Sai Kung, is picturesque and very popular for water sports. Above: On Lamma Island, only a short ferry ride from Central, visitors are spoilt for choice of restaurants and shops. Golden relics Golden relics

The dome of the old Supreme Court Building, a Hong Kong icon, now the Legislative Council Building. Golden relics

Above: The 1914 Ho family residence, Kom Tong Hall, now Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum. In Left: The imposing clock tower and four turrets of the University of Hong Kong main building. Golden relics

Upper right: The elegant red-brick old pathological institute. This has been converted to the Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences. Lower right: On a hilltop east um. Inset: A Corinthian column of the Hong Kong Observatory. of Hang Tau Tsuen in Ping Upper left: The old mental hospital in High Street, Shan sits the old Ping Shan g now part of the Sai Ying Pun Community Complex. Police Station, now Lower left: Old Tai Po Market Railway Station has been the Ping Shan Tang Clan restored as the Hong Kong Railway Museum. Gallery-cum-Heritage Trail Visitors Centre. Golden relics

Upper left: Sham Shui Po Police Station was built in 1924-25; the old Stanley Police Station (lower left), constructed in 1859, is the city’s oldest surviving police station building. Upper right: The 1883 Hong Kong Observatory building houses the Observatory’s centre of administration. Lower right: Originally the Governor’s residence, the former French Mission Building is now the Court of Final Appeal.