Permanent Venue and Suspension of Exhibitions

Finding a suitable venue for the exhibitions had been one of the major difficulties faced by the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong (CMA).

The first two exhibitions of Chinese Products were held indoor. As visitors and exhibitors grown in number, CMA asked the government to grant them a larger exhibition venue. The subsequent exhibitions were held outdoor, mostly at undeveloped land lots and land of military use. During the 1960s and 1970s, the exhibitions were held on reclaimed land.

A lot of manpower and other resources are needed to operate the large-scale exhibition at undeveloped grounds. Apart from the need for constant supply of electricity and water at the exhibition venue, organizers of the exhibition had to make sure that communication facilities were properly set up, while not interfering public broadcasting systems and airport radio communications. The 8th Exhibition of Chinese Products (1950-1951) was about to be cancelled due to a lack of constant supply of electricity. In order to attract more visitors, exhibitors devoted a lot of effort designing eye-catching exhibition booths.

Because the exhibition was not a permanent set-up, after each exhibition CMA has to spend additional costs to removing the whole decorations. As early as 1952, in his speech at the reception of the 10th Exhibition of Hong Kong Products, the then Chairman Hui Ngok has called for the establishment of a permanent and spacious venue for the exhibitions, but this wish was in vain. Later in the 1960s and 1970s, CMA, the manufacturers and the media continued to advocate that the government should allocate land for a permanent exhibition venue, but little success was made. In 1974, having failed to apply for a venue to hold the 32nd Exhibition, CMA announced that the exhibition would be endlessly suspended. The Exhibition was only resumed in 1994.