A host of activities will be organised in the coming year to promote the 2009 East Asian Games and enhance public knowledge of the event, Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing says.

They include issuing souvenir stamps, a 100-day countdown, school seminars, roving exhibitions and district promotional activities, in addition to the one-year countdown celebration starting December 5.

World class: Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing (second right), accompanied by Director of Leisure & Cultural Services Thomas Chow (right), inspects Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground.

Prime venue

Mr Tsang today visited Tseung Kwun O Sports Ground which is the main venue for the opening ceremony and track and field events for the games. It is also the track and field venue for the Hong Kong Games in May.

The $400 million, 5.9-hectare sports ground will be completed by early next year. It has a main sports ground, a warm-up secondary sports ground and other facilities for large-scale international competitions.

It is designed and built according to the standards for international track and field events, with an 11-a-side natural football pitch, a covered 3,500- capacity spectator stand and space for a temporary spectator stand with 1,500 seats.

Hardware upgrades

To tie in with the East Asian Games, 13 sports venues are being upgraded, costing $1 billion and creating 1,000 jobs.

The Sports Institute redevelopment is another major project to provide local athletes with training facilities of international standards. Creating about 1,000 jobs, the $1.8 billion project will be completed by the third quarter of 2011.

"The completion of all these projects will provide the public with sports facilities of higher quality and help improve the community's sports standard, further promoting sports development in Hong Kong," Mr Tsang said.

He added the Government also attaches great importance to improving Hong Kong's standard of athletes. About $20 million has been allocated to enhance training resources for the East Asian Games and to enable more athletes to gain experience in international competitions.