The revitalised Brand Hong Kong has drawn lively discussions from various quarters since its launch on March 27. Understandably, much of the debate has focussed on the evolved dragon icon - the visual identity of the brand.

I would like to encourage people to see beyond the refreshed logo and consider the deeper meaning of the brand revitalisation exercise.

Being a small city with an externally oriented economy, it is crucial for Hong Kong to project a positive image internationally.

It was against the backdrop of our reunification in 1997 and the Asian financial crisis that BrandHK was launched in 2001 to promote the development of Hong Kong as Asia's world city.

Rapid developments in the Mainland and the region, coupled with changes in the macro economic and political climate affecting Hong Kong in the last decade, has made review and revitalisation of BrandHK necessary by late 2007.

In revitalising BrandHK, the Government embarked on a yearlong stakeholder engagement exercise for the community to come up with a shared vision for our city and its brand.

Community consensus

There was a community consensus that sustainable development should be a key priority for Hong Kong - in terms of our human, economic, environmental and social capital.

The engagement exercise revealed the desire for Hong Kong to nurture and attract more creative and entrepreneurial talents to propel its development as a knowledge economy and a creative metropolis.

Environmentally, we should conserve the city's resources and reduce pollution and waste to improve the quality of life for current and future generations. Socially, the community aspires to be an open, tolerant, compassionate and cohesive society.

This vision, underscored by the aspirational core values "innovative" and "quality living", will eventually translate into public policies in different arenas, ranging from education, business and economic development to environmental, cultural conservation and social provisions.

Meanwhile, we realise that the core values of the Hong Kong society have shifted � with more people treasuring creativity and harmony on both personal and societal levels.

These explain the aspirations for Hong Kong to become an innovative city and for people to enjoy a better quality life - a greener Hong Kong, a more balanced urban development, a better work/life balance and a well-conserved natural environment. The Government will hold these community values close to the heart of our policy making.

HK's uniqueness

We have a unique blend of diverse attributes. As a brand, Hong Kong promises a buzzing city life in close proximity to the serenity of nature, a East-meets-West culture and boundless opportunities under 'One country, two systems'. It is a city that promises stability amidst its dynamism and where people enjoy wide-ranging freedoms in a secure, stable and safe environment.

The "can-do" spirit of our people remains very much a defining characteristic of Hong Kong and is symbolised by the ridgeline of Lion Rock in the revitalised brand logo. Hong Kong people continue to take enormous pride in our efficiency, dynamism, our cosmopolitan society and connectivity to the rest of the world.

These Hong Kong brand attributes are the mechanics behind our city's evolution as a global business and financial centre. In the process, thousands of budding entrepreneurs have been able to pursue and fulfil their dreams - whether they are home-grown talent or from overseas.

Asia's world city legend

Ultimately, the people of Hong Kong will determine the legend of Asia's world city. That is why people are central to our "Faces of Hong Kong" campaign which marks our new marketing approach in promoting Hong Kong via the BrandHK platform. Introducing the many faces of Hong Kong to a global audience through stories of local people, we hope to add warmth and a human touch to our city brand.

Branding is an evolving process, and certainly does not stop at the launch of a revised logo. A city brand is made up of many facets, from its people, culture and physical environment, to business, infrastructure and government policies. Building a successful city brand requires the concerted efforts of everyone in the community to live up to the brand promise and to realise the brand vision.

Let us work together in building our human, economic, environmental and social capital - a better Hong Kong for all of us and for our posterity.

This article by Financial Secretary John Tsang was published in several Hong Kong newspapers today.