Despite diplomatic spat, Canada-China exchanges move on

Two Chinese events unfolded in Toronto over the weekend, highlighting connectivity and exchange through culture and tourism for Canadian audiences.

Delivering a welcome speech at an opening ceremony of Hong Kong Week on Tuesday, HK Economic and Trade Office-Toronto Director Emily Mo said the event aimed to promote Hong Kong's strengths, advantages and potential as a bridge to the Chinese mainland and the rest of Asia.

"Given Hong Kong's high degree of connectivity, the city helps propel people and businesses to excellence in their chosen fields through creative links, as well as people-to-people connections," Mo said.

In an exhibition titled "Connect & Excel: Past, Present & Future", more than 80 photos showcasing Hong Kong's achievements over the past two decades.

Among other things, the photos feature two newly commissioned infrastructure projects — the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, both of which greatly enhance the connectivity of Hong Kong to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and destinations further afield on the Chinese mainland.

Guests at the opening ceremony were treated to a Chinese instrumental performance by professional musicians from the Hong Kong Oratorio Society, whose director, Chan Wing-wah, said the discipline of music could be applied to the current social situation in Hong Kong.

"In music, we have a lot of self-discipline, because when we practice, we need self- discipline, patience and mutual appreciation," said Chan.

"Like an orchestra together performing with a choir, everyone in the society would love to work together to improve the society, but we have to do it in a harmonious manner, anything that destroys harmony is not going to create it, it will only make things even worse," Chan said.

The society will jointly stage concerts with orchestras in Toronto and Vancouver over the coming week.

The global marketing and branding event China Tourism and Culture Week is operated by 34 overseas Chinese cultural centers and 19 tourism offices in over 40 countries from mid May to June 30.

China Tourism and Culture Week in Canada kicked off last weekend at Toronto International Dragon Boat Festival and attracted thousands of visitors to the Chinese village set up on Toronto Central Island, which showcased a Beautiful China photo exhibition, handicrafts presentations and traditional Sichuan performances.

Although the 2018 Canada-China Year of Tourism came to an untimely end due to diplomatic tensions, people-to-people tourism exchanges continue to move along, Yang Wenting, director of China National Tourist office in Canada, said at an event reception on Tuesday.

"Over the past decades, tourism exchange has become the new highlight of cooperation," Yang said.

"A large-scale, two-way flow of tourists has driven the development of trade, transportation, accommodation and other related industries, promoted the growth of employment and enhanced the friendship between the two peoples," Yang added.

2018 saw that the number of mutual visits in the tourism industry exceed 1.6 million. Now Canada is the12th-largest tourist source market for China, while China is the largest source market for Canada, behind the US.

"2019 is a special year for the industry, however," Yang said. "For the first part of the year, we experienced some difficulties. It's still not quite clear how it will go for the next half year, but cooperation in tourism is long-term and people-to-people exchange will never pause.

"China always welcomes Canadians to China, the beautiful and safe country," Yang said.

Han Ning, Chinese cultural consul in Toronto, said travel and tourism were important in people's pursuit of a better life.

"This is why tourism is the most effective vehicle for people-to-people and cultural exchange," she said, adding that the consulate wanted to work with its Canadian counterpart to promote cultural and tourism cooperation.

Canada and China relations have been locked in an escalating diplomatic spat for months, following the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou in December on an extradition request from the United States.