Chicago sees Hong Kong at close range
The Windy City has laid out the welcoming mat to representatives from Hong Kong in their monthlong celebration of the territory’s unique culture, creativity and economic vitality.

On April 30, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York (HKETONY) launched the Hong Kong Comes to Chicago 2009 Festival, held during May in conjunction with the city’s Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month.

Film series kicks off Hong Kong Comes to Chicago 2009 Festival
Hong Kong film director Chan Wing-Chiu attended the premiere screening of “A Decade of Love” in Chicago at the Gene Siskel Film Center on May 1, kicking off the “Hong Kong Cinema: The Next Generation” film series.

Mr. Chan directed the “Red Egg on the Road” segment featured in the film.

Hong Kong film director talks shop in Chicago
A Chicago audience took part in an enthusiastic discussion with Hong Kong film director Kenneth Bi and producer Rosa Li about their film, “The Drummer,” and other Hong Kong movies on May 9.

Mr. Bi was in Chicago to take part in the “Hong Kong Cinema: The Next Generation” film series being held at the Gene Siskel Film Center throughout the month of May.

Contemporary Hong Kong through a Chicago lens
A multimedia exhibition featuring contemporary Hong Kong through the eyes of Chicagoans was launched May 1 at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.

Opening the exhibition, Director of the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, New York (HKETONY) Monica Chen said, "This multimedia exhibition, comprising photographs, video and blog posts, introduces Hong Kong through the eyes of five students from Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University, who were on a sponsored visit to Hong Kong by the HKETONY.  

Hong Kong downgrades GDP forecast
The global financial crisis and the ensuing severe recession continued to weigh heavily on the Hong Kong economy. Following a contraction of 2.6% in the fourth quarter of 2008, GDP registered a sharp year-on-year decline of 7.8% in real terms in the first quarter of 2009.

Hong Kong tax system lauded
A Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government spokesman on May 10 welcomed an article by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) commending Hong Kong’s transparent tax system and its efforts to comply with international standards of exchange of tax information.