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The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, says he is delighted that New Zealand has agreed to grant visa-free access to HKSAR and BN(O)passport holders.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jenny Shipley announced the agreement today (Thursday) after a meeting with Mr Tung in the New Zealand capital Wellington.

"New Zealand and Hong Kong share a great deal in common, particularly in the work within APEC and the WTO. We are all very important communities in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.

"I am particularly delighted to learn from the Prime Minister of the decision to grant Hong Kong citizens visa-free travel to New Zealand.

"This is very important not only from the point of view of promoting trade, investment and mutual visits but also a very good confidence booster for Hong Kong."

Mrs Shipley said she believed the visa-free agreement would be a great benefit to both communities.

New Zealand becomes the 49th country to grant visa-free access for HKSAR Passport holders since July 1, 1997. The new arrangement will come into effect on October 1, 1998.

Mr Tung said that during his meeting with Mrs Shipley he had discussed the Asian financial turmoil, boosting Hong Kong-New Zealand trade and investment ties and how well Hong Kong was operating under 'One Country, Two Systems'.

In a day of political calls, Mr Tung also met New Zealand's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Don McKinnon, Minister of Finance Bill Birch and Opposition Leader Helen Clark.

Mr McKinnon said he had discussed a wide range of issues with Mr Tung, including bilateral arrangements, APEC, multi-lateral trade activities and financial links between Hong Kong and New Zealand.

"We have certainly followed very intimately, of course, the changeover, one of the more dramatic events which has occurred in this region for some time, and just how successful it has been," he said.

"We are delighted he's (Mr Tung) been able to come out New Zealand for a couple of days. It's him getting to know us, us getting to know him and the kind of things that are happening there."

Mr Tung pointed out that about 30,000 former Hong Kong residents lived in New Zealand and that thousands of Hong Kong students now studied in New Zealand.

"It's not just trade and investment, which is obviously very important, but also a very important people's relationship between Hong Kong and New Zealand," Mr Tung said.

"And I'm glad we had a chance to discuss all these issues. I'm particularly pleased with the announcement for visa-free arrangement for visitors.

"So, all in all, it's been a very short visit but it's been a very useful visit which I have thoroughly enjoyed."

Early this evening, Mr Tung was guest of honour at a reception hosted by China's Ambassador to New Zealand, Mr Chen Wenzhao, and later dined as guest of honour of Mrs Shipley at her official residence.

Mr Tung leaves Wellington tomorrow (Friday) morning for Auckland, where he will have a brief stop-over as a guest of New Zealand's Minister of Tourism Murray McCully and the Chief Executive of the New Zealand Tourism Board Paul Winter.

Weather permitting, Mr and Mrs Tung will be treated to a helicopter sight-seeing tour which will include a birds-eye view of the city, the 1999 APEC site, the 1999 America's Cup yacht race course and an integrated residential resort development overlooking Auckland harbour.

Mr Tung will leave Auckland at 12.55 pm (NZ time) on CX108 and is due to arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow night.

End/Thursday, June 18, 1998

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