Exclusive interview with the Secretary for Transport and Logistics of Hong Kong, Lin Shixiong: Inviting Mainland compatriots to "lie down" in Hong Kong and experience the "blooming flowers all the way"
2024-06-19
"From Hong Kong to Beijing, from night to morning, from colorful group activities to enjoying the scenery outside the window, let's experience this warm and vibrant journey of dynamic sleeping together. Let's go together!" Hong Kong Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Lin Shixiong, posted his first Vlog on social media, inviting friends from Hong Kong and mainland China to "Amway" for the newly launched "Xifa Chaozhi" high-speed rail dynamic sleeping, and inviting everyone. On June 15th, the high-speed rail sleeper train connecting Beijing and Shanghai to Hong Kong was officially opened, and the "two-way travel" between Beijing and Hong Kong was further upgraded, triggering a warm response and sustained attention. As the first passenger, I had a very pleasant 12 hours. I communicated with passengers in the car, had dinner, and also watched special performances such as clappers and dances. It was like having a party As the official experience officer of the first train D910 from Hong Kong to Beijing, Lin Shixiong recalled his personal experience a few days ago and vividly described it. It is not difficult to see from Lin Shixiong's cheerful words that this journey of moving and sleeping is a cultural and tourism journey of "blooming flowers all the way". In the high-speed train carriage where Lin Shixiong was riding, patterns with Beijing Hong Kong elements such as the Temple of Heaven and Bauhinia flowers were arranged, with words such as "Beijing Charm and Hong Kong Style" marked for passengers to "lie down and appreciate the beauty" and take photos. In addition, there are free items such as toiletries, disposable four color slippers, and scenery magazines available for passengers to use. During the ride, Lin Shixiong ordered braised beef rice with oyster mushrooms and praised the high quality of the food, which exceeded expectations. According to the steward, they specially built a "gourmet tour on the tip of the tongue" according to the route, and prepared Hong Kong style meals such as litchi meat package, three fresh fish balls package, shrimp Wonton noodles, honey sauce barbecued sausage noodles, etc., with prices ranging from more than 10 yuan to more than 40 yuan. At the same time, independent meal boards were set up in the mobile and sleeper carriages to facilitate passengers to quickly scan the code and order meals. In Vlog, Lin Shixiong also tasted the "ice cream cup" in the carriage and happily wrote a postcard, showing the camera souvenirs such as train tickets, refrigerator stickers, bookmarks, etc. around the moving and sleeping area. "I see that most passengers like the moving sleeper service between Hong Kong and Beijing, as well as between Hong Kong and Shanghai." Lin Shixiong said. "A beautiful thing" makes it more convenient for Hong Kong and the mainland to travel in both directions. "Thank you to the central government for your care for Hong Kong, and to China Railway Group and various units in the mainland for their strong support and cooperation, achieving beautiful things." Lin Shixiong, who took office as the Secretary for Transport and Logistics of the Special Administrative Region Government in 2022, has always hoped to connect high-speed sleeper trains to Hong Kong. Lin Shixiong was once an engineer who was responsible for promoting the planning, design, and construction of the Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail at the Hong Kong Highways Department. He once proposed the idea of connecting night trains with the mainland, and now this wish has finally been realized. The newly launched high-speed rail sleeper service is an upgraded version of the conventional direct train between Beijing West, Shanghai, and Hong Kong's Hung Hom Station. The railway travel to Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai in the future will be compressed from over 24 hours and about 19.5 hours respectively to about 12.5 hours and about 11 hours, both of which will be shortened by about half. The short and comfortable high-speed rail sleeper train takes cross-border railway journeys to a new level. Lin Shixiong believes that trains departing in the evening and arriving in the morning can provide passengers with a new experience and travel mode. Diversified train services can also attract passengers with different needs such as a full day meeting the next day or wanting to save one night's hotel expenses. Lin Shixiong and his group are in the carriage. According to MTR Corporation, the high-speed railway (Hong Kong section) has connected over 40000 kilometers of the national high-speed railway network. Due to the convenience of "one location, two inspections", the Beijing Hong Kong and Shanghai Hong Kong high-speed trains can not only provide convenience for passengers at the starting and ending stations, but also for passengers at more stations along the line such as Shijiazhuang, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou, achieving a "two-way travel" between Hong Kong and more cities in mainland China. "There are currently four evening trains departing from Hong Kong to Hong Kong each week. Depending on future occupancy rates and popularity, we will consider arranging more sleeper trains to come to Hong Kong." Lin Shixiong said. "We are pleased to see that the Beijing Hong Kong and Shanghai Hong Kong high-speed rail sleeper trains, which started on the 15th and now operate in two directions every Friday to Monday for four consecutive days, have been well received and praised by the public," said Hong Kong Chief Executive Li Jiachao on the 18th. Before July 1st this year, high-speed trains from Beijing to Hong Kong and Shanghai to Hong Kong were launched, and on July 1st last year, the "Hong Kong trains heading north" were implemented. The upgrade of Hong Kong's "hard connectivity" with the mainland is a reflection of the central government's optimization of the "personal travel" plan, Hong Kong's implementation of the "everywhere tourism" concept, cultural and tourism exchanges, and economic and trade cooperation with different provinces and cities in the mainland. Recently, the first "Chinese Culture Festival", the "Colorful Chinese Art" Carnival, was held in Sha Tin, Hong Kong. The exciting performances of dragon and lion dance, ethnic dance, magic performances, and intangible cultural heritage skills showcased the unique charm of Chinese culture, attracting tens of thousands of attendees. As an international metropolis with a fusion of Chinese and Western cultures, Hong Kong has abundant cultural resources. Kung Fu, Cantonese cuisine, Hong Kong opera and other distinctive and iconic labels are highly attractive to both mainland and international tourists. On January 1, 2023 at midnight, the enhanced version of the "Fantasy Scent of the River" fireworks display was held over Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong. As introduced by Lin Shixiong, cross-border tourism in Hong Kong is rapidly recovering, with a continuous increase in visitors. In the first five months of this year, the number of visitors to Hong Kong exceeded 18 million, an increase of 78% compared to the same period last year, of which 13.8 million were mainland tourists, an increase of 73% compared to the same period last year. It is understood that at least about 210 grand events are expected to be held in Hong Kong this year, attracting about 1.7 million tourists and bringing about HKD 7.2 billion in consumption to Hong Kong, adding another "new fuel" to the bustling "city of events". (Lai Xin She)
Edit：Lubaikang Responsible editor：Chenze
Source：China News Network
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