Speech by CE at &quot;Hello Hong Kong&quot; Campaign Launch Ceremony
2.2.2023

Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the "Hello Hong Kong" Campaign Launch Ceremony today (February 2): Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, friends from around the world, Hello everybody! Hello from Hong Kong! A very warm welcome to this ceremony that marks the launch of the "Hello Hong Kong" campaign. Some three months ago at the Global Financial Leaders' Investment Summit, I told the world that Hong Kong was back on the centre stage again. Today, I am happy to tell you that Hong Kong is welcoming every one of you to join us on our centre stage, for Hong Kong is now seamlessly connected to the Mainland of China and the whole international world. There will be no isolation, no quarantine, and no restriction on experiencing our great wine and dine scenes, on doing business, on joining events and outings, on doing sports, on enjoying the hustle and bustle of Asia’s world city, and so much more. Indeed, this is the perfect time for tourists, business travellers and investors, from near and far, to come and say "Hello Hong Kong"! The "Hello Hong Kong" campaign will focus on four major areas that will put the international spotlight on Hong Kong again. First and foremost, we have prepared 500 000 free air tickets to welcome tourists from every part of the world to come to Hong Kong. This, ladies and gentlemen, is probably the world's biggest welcome ever! Beyond our well-known shopping and dining paradise, we will introduce our guests to the new and magnificent Hong Kong Palace Museum and M+ museum at the burgeoning West Kowloon Cultural District; a scenic ride on the latest generation of our Peak Tram and the brand new "Crystal+" Ngong Ping 360 cable car; new attractions at the Ocean Park and the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort; or quite simply, many more ways to take a deep breath and enjoy our great outdoors. And they can also take advantage of an array of special offers, vouchers and other incentives to make their experience in Hong Kong all the more fantastic and memorable. Second, riding on tourism qualities, strengths in financial, business and trade, as well as unrivaled connectivity to the huge Mainland market, we are busy welcoming back mega events and giant trade shows to boost our MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) sector. To give you a preview of the next two months, we will be hosting sporting and outdoor events like the Hong Kong Marathon, the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament and the 100-kilometre Trailwalker; arts and cultural delights like the Art Basel, the Museum Summit and the Hong Kong Arts Festival; as well as top trade shows, exhibitions and competitions like the International Jewellery Show, the WOW Summit and the Vis East Moot, to name just a few. I can assure you that more, and indeed many more, are in the pipeline to entice more high value-added overnight visitors to Hong Kong, the premier MICE destination of Asia. Third, we are going all out to tell our many good Hong Kong stories to overseas and Mainland counterparts. Hong Kong enjoys unparalleled advantages under the unique "one country, two systems" principle. I will personally carry the promotional messages of our prowess as the world’s freest economy and China's international financial centre, when I visit Saudi Arabia and the UAE (United Arab Emirates) in the coming week. Business communities and professional groups will also reach out to various parts of the world throughout the year, to tell their global counterparts the great and true stories of Hong Kong. Fourth, we are inviting prominent guests, from business heavyweights and political dignitaries, to media chiefs and influencers, to come to Hong Kong and see for themselves the welcoming atmosphere, promising opportunities, and many exciting developments and new attractions here. They will take home their fond experience and memories of Hong Kong and share them with their personal and business circles. Like a ripple, our compelling appeal as a metropolis that is wide open for business and leisure will continue to spread and reach different parts of the world. Friends around the world, everyone in Hong Kong, from transport operators to business owners and performers, have been gearing up to welcome you. We can’t wait to say hello, personally, to each and every one of you. See you in Hong Kong, and wish you all a healthy and prosperous Year of the Rabbit! Next, let me say a few words in Putonghua to introduce to our friends in the Mainland and around the world. 各位朋友，接下來，讓我用普通話介紹一下今天香港正式啓動的大型全球宣傳活動。這個全方位的宣傳活動，主題是「你好，香港！」。 今年是兔年，首先祝世界各地的同胞、僑胞和朋友們，在新一年裡萬事如意、心想事成！ 香港正處於由治及興的新階段，在全面復常的康莊大道上，香港動若脫兔，快速躍進。在中央政府的大力支持下，香港與內地已實現通關，和世界各地也全面接軌。 此時此刻，香港和內地以至全世界的聯繫已恢復正常。我們引以自豪的香港國際機場再次人流如鯽，聯通香港和廣東省的港珠澳大橋和西九龍高鐵站也重現了穿梭兩地的旅客，絡繹不絕。 香港已經進入全面復蘇的新里程。我們正大張旗鼓，開門迎客。香港的維港海濱、太平山頂、星光大道、主題樂園、郊野公園、地質公園等聞名全球的旅遊景點，將全面迎接全球旅客共同暢遊。最近落成的全新旅遊地標，比如西九文化區的香港故宮文化博物館、M+博物館，也將為中外旅客帶來全新的香港體驗。 今年，我們會舉辦許多盛事，從金融、經濟、創新科技，到體育賽事、文化藝術和美食、好酒，以至各式各樣大型國際會議和展覽，多不勝數。 我們今天正式啓動一系列「你好，香港！Hello Hong Kong」宣傳活動，包括免費派發500 000張機票，歡迎內地和海外旅客到香港來，多走走，多看看，多找機遇。 香港特區政府今年在復常的良好態勢下，會帶領和組織不同的訪問團到內地和外國，說好香港故事，推動商貿、旅遊、人文交流等。 香港已經重返國際舞台中心，全面歡迎內地和全球旅客來臨。大家久別重聚，一聲「你好」，勝過千言萬語。熱切期待，跟大家在香港見面，期待聽到你們跟我們說聲「你好，香港！」。 最後，我用廣東話總結一下。 今日我用了兩文三語講話，正正體現香港一個很重要的獨特之處，反映「背靠祖國，聯通世界」這個獨特優勢，對香港的重要性。 香港已經恢復與內地通關，與海外恢復緊密聯繫。新的一年，香港市面會更添熱鬧，遊客會大量來臨，商鋪丁財兩旺，食肆、旅遊景點會熱烈地動起來、活起來，經濟好起來，展現動力和蓬勃生機。 我深信，加強推廣香港，吸引更多內地和海外朋友來臨，絕對有利於香港的經濟復蘇。今日的「你好，香港！Hello Hong Kong」大型全球宣傳活動啓動禮，除了特區政府的官員出席之外，立法會主席、旅遊發展局主席、貿易發展局主席和機場管理局主席等都來一起參與、支持。這正正標誌着我們凝聚香港社會力量，團結一致，向全世界展現香港的新魅力、新發展、新機遇。 我們歡迎世界每一個角落的旅客、投資者、企業家、創新者，一起來到香港感受我們的活力，擁抱機遇，大展鴻圖。 「有朋自遠方來，不亦樂乎？」就讓我們每一個香港市民盡好地主之誼，歡迎海內外人士來臨香港，讓他們親身體驗我們的好客之道。 我們期待各位新朋友、老朋友和我們講一句「Hello!你好！」，我們歡迎你們來香港。多謝大家！ Ends/Thursday, February 2, 2023 Issued at HKT 17:05 NNNN