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Middle Kingdom to shut door on history

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Ocean Park's decade-old Middle Kingdom - which showcases Chinese history - is to be closed because it has proved a flop with mainland visitors.

The park will announce today that the attraction, featuring traditional culture and heritage, will close on March 10.

Fifteen staff, including performers, will be laid off with two months' salary as compensation.

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Most of the 10,000 square-foot Kingdom will be demolished and redeveloped in line with a government study to revitalise Aberdeen harbour as a new tourist spot.

Opened in January 1990, Middle Kingdom was described as 'a walk through the 5,000 years of Chinese history'.

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It is also the last mini-theme park in the SAR mimicking traditional Chinese history following the closure of the Sung dynasty park at Lai Chi Kok Amusement Park in 1996.

A spokesman for Ocean Park said the closure had been made in response to changing demand as more Chinese visitors came to the park. 'Despite an increase in visitors, the flow to the Middle Kingdom is apparently declining,' he said.

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