08/05/14 HKSAR

CS ends fruitful visit to France

IS Department, Hong Kong SAR Government
(English) Press Release

The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Henry Tang, has received a warm response from French political, cultural and business leaders on Hong Kong's drive to become the cultural and wine distribution hub in Asia and its determination to make the Olympics Equestrian Events this August a success.

During his visit to Paris from May 11 to 14, Mr Tang held constructive meetings with Minister for the Economy, Industry and Employment, Mrs Christine Lagarde; Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr Michel Barnier; and Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, Mrs Anne-Marie Idrac. ...

During his meeting with Minister for Culture and Communication, Ms Christine Albanel, Mr Tang briefed her on Hong Kong's vision to build an art and culture metropolis and on the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) project. Both sides agreed that there would be ample opportunities to further promote bilateral cultural exchanges.
Mr Tang visited Musee Guimet and Centre Pompidou, which are renowned for their respective collections of Asian and contemporary art. Both museums expressed interest in stepping up co-operation and exchanges with Hong Kong museums, in particular with the future M+ in WKCD.

Mr Tang also met the LVMH Group Chairman, Mr Bernard Arnault, and witnessed the signing of a letter of intent between the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Louis-Vuitton Art Foundation to organise an exhibition of selected art works from the foundation's collection at the Hong Kong Museum of Art in 2009.

"The exhibition will feature a selection of masterpieces by modern and contemporary masters from the collection of the LV Art Foundation. This is the first time the foundation's collection will go international. We are extremely pleased by the foundation's vote of confidence in Hong Kong. We look forward to working closely with the foundation to launch a most successful exhibition in Hong Kong that makes an impact internationally," Mr Tang said.

... Mr Tang will return Hong Kong tomorrow (May 15).