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The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, yesterday (Monday, HK time) said he hopes to learn the 'secrets of success' of Israel's high-tech industries during his landmark three-day visit to the country.
On his first official day of engagements, Mr Tung received a warm welcome from Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon and President Ezer Weizman.
Speaking during a lunch hosted by Mr Sharon, the Chief Executive said: "I'm here to see for myself first hand how Israel has become successful and also to see for myself especially in areas of innovation of technology which have impressed almost everybody around the world.
"I hope during my trip my colleagues and I will have the time to study the secrets of your success and that there will also be opportunities for our private sectors to work together."
Mr Tung repeated this theme during his meeting with Mr Netanyahu, noting that Hong Kong's economic base could be broadened through the commercialisation of new and innovative technology.
"I'm sure we will see and learn a lot during our next two days when we visit your universities, companies and centres for technology development," Mr Tung said during his meeting with Mr Netanyahu.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said the Chief Executive's visit set a wonderful precedent for growing relations between Hong Kong and Israel.
He said a major investment by a Hong Kong telecommunications company had 'changed the face' of the cellular phone market in Israel and he was expecting to see 'many, many more' investments from Hong Kong.
"Hong Kong has been, for many of us, a model of the application of free-market principles in a small place," he said.
"I believe your population is about six million and with a per capita income amongst the highest in the world - about US$25,000.
"We're moving up to US$18,000 and we'll try to the best of our abilities to catch you but in this endeavour we are not competitors we are partners.
"You should know we welcome your visit here, you personally and your delegation. And the more we do business the better and better."
Mr Tung started his first full day's programme in Jerusalem with a breakfast meeting with Israel's President Ezer Weizman at which a wide range of issues were discussed including Hong Kong's reunification, the Asian financial turmoil, Israel's high-tech development and the ongoing peace process in the region.
Following the breakfast meeting, Mr Tung visited the grave of the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, where he and Mrs Tung laid a wreath and, in line with Jewish tradition, placed a small stone on the grave as a symbol of their visit.
The Hong Kong delegation later visited the Martyrs' and Heroes' Memorial of the Holocaust, where Mr Tung laid a wreath in Remembrance Hall to commemorate the six million Jews murdered by the Nazi regime during World War II.
The group then visited United Nations Hill, a scenic vantage point overlooking the old and new sections of Jerusalem as well as the former Israel-Jordan border area from 1948 to 1967.
From there, Mr Tung and the Hong Kong delegation visited Mt Zion, where they were shown the Tomb of King David as well as the room where Jesus Christ is said to have taken the Last Supper.
Following the lunch with Mr Sharon and the meeting with Mr Netanyahu, Mr Tung visited the Israel Museum where he viewed sacred scriptures such as the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Later today Mr Tung will meet Israel's Industry and Trade Minister Natan Sharansky and the governor of the Bank of Israel Professor Ya'acov Frenkel before leaving for Tel Aviv and a series of in-depth briefings on Israel's high-tech development and industries.
End/Tuesday, February 2, 1999
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Photo caption: The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, is greeted by the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, in Jerusalem early today (Tuesday, HK time).
