In an effort to enhance the understanding of American media on China and Hong Kong, since 1996 the Foundation has invited 6 to 8 American journalists each year to visit China and Hong Kong. The Better Hong Kong Foundation sponsored and organized their trip. With the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC, the program enables the journalists to meet with senior central government officials in Beijing and local municipal officials in one of the second or third tier cities in China. The Foundation also organizes meetings with key industry and business players, academic and research institutions and media people to broaden the participants’ network other than providing them an overview of the cities they visited. This year, the Foundation, in association with the All-China Journalists Association (ACJA) and the East-West Center organized the second China-U.S. Journalists Exchange program, as an expansion of the original Hong Kong Journalism Fellows program by adding the visit of the China journalists to the U.S.
A delegation of 7 senior U.S. journalists visited Ningbo, Beijing and Hong Kong from 17 – 29 September 2011 while 7 Chinese journalists visited San Francisco, New York and Washington D.C. in the U.S during the same period. On 23 September 2011, all Chinese and American journalists met in the ACJA to report on their experiences and to exchange opinions on how media coverage of each country can be improved. On 28 September 2011, a conference was held at the Chinese University of Hong Kong where local academia and media professionals exchanged views with the U.S. journalists. By having direct dialogue with the local authorities and communities in different areas and to see the developments by themselves, the U.S. journalists gain a better understanding of the current situation and future development of Hong Kong and Mainland China.
List of U.S. Journalists:
- Mr. Robert Ballenger, Swing Editor/Producer, National Public Radio
- Ms. Patricia Hill, Chief Economic Correspondent, Washington Times
- Mr. Joe Schatz, Senior Writer, Congressional Quarterly
- Mr. Kopin Tan, Senior Editor, Barron’s Magazine
- Mr. David Whiting, Page One Columnist, The Orange County Register
- Mrs. Roya Wolverson, Senior Writer, Time Magazine
- Ms. Holly Yeager, Middle East and Asia Editor, The Washington Post
Organizations Visited:
Ningbo
- Ningbo Municipal Development & Reform Commission
- Ningbo Free Trade Zone
- Ningbo Port
- Geely Automobile
- Ningbo Fotile Kitchen Ware Co Ltd
- Taiji Environmental Protection Equipment Co Ltd
- Veritas Tech (Ningbo) Co Ltd
- 81890 Service Center for Public
- Ningbo Museum
- Huamaotang Painting and Calligraphy Gallery
- Zilinfang Art Gallery
Beijing
- Ministry of Commerce
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ministry of Health
- Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security
- HKSAR Government Office in Beijing
- All-China Journalists Association
- China Institute of International Studies
- SINA.com
Hong Kong
- Mr. Lu Xinhua, Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong
- Ambassador Stephen Young, American Consul-General
- Mr. Jasper Tsang, President of the Legislative Council
- Executive Council of HKSAR: Convenor Mr. C Y Leung and members including Mrs. Laura Cha, Prof. Anthony Cheung and Mr. V-Nee Yeh
- Central Policy Unit
- Department of Justice
- Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd
- Hong Kong Monetary Authority
- American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
- Symposium 2011: Living with and in a Giant Nation: A Dialogue with American Journalists on Post-handover Hong Kong at the Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Hong Kong Air Tour by the Government Flying Services
- Cultural Walk in Central District
List of Chinese Journalists
- Mr. Cao Huanrong, Senior Reporter/Director, News Coordination Department, People’s Daily
- Mr. Chen Zhonghua, Reporter, Dazhong Daily
- Ms. Wang Haiyong, Anchor, Qinghai Radio
- Mr. Xu Changan, Reporter/Chief, Tibet Bureau, China News Service
- Mr. Yu Jiayou, Reporter, Zhejiang Daily Press Group
- Mr. Zeng Qi, Editor/Deputy Director, Chinese Language Department, www.china.com.cn
- Ms. Zheng Xuejun, Edior/Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Wenzhou Evening
During their visit in the U.S., the Chinese journalists met with government officials, think tanks, community and business leaders, educators, local journalists, and others to gain insight on diverse issues and understand more about the general views from the U.S. interlocutors on the relationship between China and the U.S.
Meeting with Mr. Lu Kang (middle), Deputy Director General, Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Meeting with Ministry of Health
Dinner hosted by Mr. Hong Lei, Spokesman and Deputy Director-General of the Information Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Norman Chan, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority hosted a luncheon for the delegation
Mr. Jasper Tsang, President of the Legislative Council receiving the delegation at the new LegCo Building
Luncheon hosted by Mr. C Y Leung, Convenor of the Executive Council
Jointly organized with CUHK’s School of Journalism and Communication, a conference was held at Cho Yiu Conference Hall at the university campus as a round-up of the delegation
