[9:30:30, 21 April 2009] The press briefing on the 2009 Cultural Tourism Festival at the Water City in the North of China and the ancient city on the Canal -- the Ecological Liaocheng--is chaired by Kong Fanke, director of the International Communication Office of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, director of the publicity section of the Information Office of Shandong Provincial People`s Government, and director of the Office of Shandong Provincial News Release Coordination Group.

[9:34:30, 21 April 2009] Kong Fanke: Good morning, media friends, ladies and gentlemen.
 
[9:45:48, 21 April 2009] Kong Fanke: Present at today’s briefing are journalists from Shandong branches of the central media and of Hong Kong media, from the provincial media, and from the major media in Jinan. First of all, I invite Miss Liu Guanfeng to give a briefing on Liaocheng City and the 2009 Cultural Tourism Festival.

[9:36:37, 21 April 2009] Liu Guanfeng: Good morning, media friends, ladies and gentlemen.

[9:45:48, 21 April 2009] Liu Guanfeng: Next I will give a briefing on Liaocheng City and this year’s Cultural Tourism Festival.

[9:45:48, 21 April 2009] Liu Guanfeng: First, a survey of Liaocheng

[9:36:56, 21 April 2009] Liu Guanfeng: Liaocheng, known in ancient times as Dongchangfu and located in western Shandong Province, is our country’s famous Water City in the North and the ancient city on the Canal. It has won such titles as National Historic Cultural City, Provincial-level Garden City, China’s Excellent Tourism City, National Healthy City, China’s Most Livable City, and China’s Top Ten Characteristic Leisure Cities. Liaocheng is a water city, of which nearly one third is water area. Liaocheng has a long history of 2500 years.
 
[9:42:37, 21 April 2009] Liu Guanfeng: A overview of this year’s Cultural Tourism Festival

[9:42:41, 21 April 2009] Liu Guanfeng: This year’s Cultural Tourism Festival will be held May 1-3 in Liaocheng. There will be 16 activities of six categories held such as aquatic activities, cultural activities, sports and leisure activities, experts’ forums, business talks, and tourism promotion, with the theme “Water City in the North, the ancient city on the Canal, harmony and opening-up, and scientific development”.

[9:43:26, 21 April 2009] Liu Guanfeng: 1. The fair activities at the Shanxi-Shaanxi Guildhall, on-the-spot gourd carving, paper cutting, clay whistle, and Beijing Opera and Henan Opera performances will reproduce the cultural profundity and attraction of these ancient folk art treasures.
In the activities of visiting the thousand-year-old city wall and the Tangyi Confucian Temple, you can see the new statue of Confucius, the ancient city ruins, and feel the cultural profundity of the 800-year-old Tangyi Confucian Temple.
The water resources will be made use of to hold such activities as night tour of Dongchang Lake and visiting lakes and rivers, to reflect the distinct characteristics of the Water City. Entertainment performances at various communities will enable the citizens to enjoy excellent performances in their neighborhood.

[9:44:49, 21 April 2009] Liu Guanfeng: 2. During this year’s cultural tourism festival, our city will invite more than 100 entrepreneurs both at home and abroad to gather at Liaocheng to participate in the "the 2009 Spring of the Water City • Chinese and Foreign Entrepreneurs’ Summit” and conduct business negotiations in order to promote foreign cooperation and exchange and to achieve a win-win situation. In addition, there will be other activities such as the national exhibition of steel pipe industry, the automobile carnival, and the beer carnival trip.

[9:47:02, 21 April 2009] Liu Guanfeng: 3. There will be various kinds of festival activities: 15 major activities and more than 30 other activities involving the Jiangdi Park and the Botanical Gardens, which will create a three-dimensional and multiple festive atmosphere of aquatic, land, folk, fashionable, spectacular and participatory features.

[9:49:12, 21 April 2009] Liu Guanfeng: On the eve of the opening of the 2009 Cultural Tourism Festival, 5,850,000 Liaocheng People extend this sincere invitation to domestic and foreign friends: In this beautiful season when everything is beginning to grow again and full of life, take your friends with you and come to Liaocheng to enjoy a pleasant, leisure and fruitful holiday! The Water City will receive all guests and friends from all quarters of the world in a unique manner and charm!

[9:49:22, 21 April 2009] Liu Guanfeng: Finally, I wish you good health, a good mood, smooth work, and a happy family!

[9:49:26, 21 April 2009] Liu Guanfeng: Thank you!

[10:02:44, 21 April 2009] Kong Fanke: Today`s press briefing is over. Thank you.