HKDC Welcomes Chief Executive’s Proposal to set up a New Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau to Develop Hong Kong as a Centre for International Cultural Exchange in Policy Address

HONG KONG SAR – Media
OutReach – 6 October 2021 –
Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC), the Hong Kong SAR Government’s strategic
partner in promoting the wide and strategic use of design and design thinking,
welcomes the Chief Executive’s proposal for setting up a new Culture, Sports
and Tourism Bureau to oversee the development of the creative industries in the
Hong Kong SAR, thus reinforcing Hong Kong’s development as an International
Cultural and Arts Exchange Centre for China under the National 14^th
Five-Year Plan.

Under the clear direction of the 14^th
Five-Year Plan, HKDC is also supportive of the Government’s commitment to seize
Hong Kong’s unique East-meets-West creative atmosphere to position Hong Kong as
Asia’s city of culture and creativity, as stated in the Policy Address. To this
end, the Government has pledged to work on five directions, including
developing world-class cultural facilities and a pluralistic cultural
environment; strengthening connections with overseas arts and cultural
organisations; enhancing cultural exchange and co-operation with the Mainland;
leveraging technology; and nurturing talents.

Prof. Eric Yim, Chairman of Hong Kong Design
Centre, said, “Hong Kong has always enjoyed the advantages of strong
international connections while being close to Mainland China, so we are in a
good position to serve as both a centre of development for the creative
industries and as a connector for the Mainland. Having a dedicated bureau to
steer the coordination and promotion work related to cultural and creative
industries will certainly be more effective for strengthening our position in
this sector in the long run.”