LegCo Panel on Home Affairs, Culture and Sports begins duty visit to Hangzhou (with photos)

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Home Affairs, Culture and Sports began the four-day duty visit to Hangzhou today (July 31) to learn about the city's sports and cultural development.

     After arriving in Hangzhou, the delegation met and exchanged views with the representatives of the Hangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, TV and Tourism in the afternoon. The Hangzhou Municipal Government has been actively promoting the development of the cultural industry in recent years with the support of various policies. The delegation took the opportunity to deepen their understanding of Hangzhou's policies and measures for promoting the development of culture and tourism.

     The delegation then visited the Hangzhou Grand Theatre. Established in 2004, the cultural landmark covers an area of about 100 000 square metres. Since its establishment, the theatre has hosted over a thousand excellent domestic and international plays, playing a great role in promoting the popularization of arts and culture in Hangzhou.

     In the evening, the delegation had dinner with the representatives of Department of Hong Kong and Macao Affairs of the People's Government of Zhejiang Province. During the dinner, both parties exchanged views on how to strengthen the co-operation and exchanges in sports and culture between Zhejiang and Hong Kong, as well as facilitating the implementation of the principle of "shaping tourism with cultural activities and promoting culture through tourism".

     The delegation then attended the outdoor performance "Impression West Lake – Enduring Memories of Hangzhou" to learn about the large-scale outdoor cultural performance projects in Hangzhou. The performance, directed by Zhang Yimou, combines art and technology to showcase the beautiful scenery and folklore of the Jiangnan region.

     The delegation will continue its duty visit to Hangzhou tomorrow (August 1). 

     The delegation visits Hangzhou from July 31 to August 3. Led by the Chairman of Panel on Home Affairs, Culture and Sports, Mr Vincent Cheng, a total of 16 Members participated in the duty visit. Deputy delegation leaders are the Deputy Chairman of the Panel, Ms Joephy Chan, and, Panel member, Mr Kenneth Fok. The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, also participates in part of the duty visit.