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The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, will visit Canada and the US between May 9 and 14 to strengthen Hong Kong's ties with the two countries and to update political and business leaders there on developments in Hong Kong.

As the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is due to enter the third year of its establishment, the Chief Executive will reassure overseas audiences of Hong Kong's continued role as a regional business and financial centre, and as the pre-eminent gateway to the Mainland of China and the East-Asian region.

Mr Tung will exchange views with US and Canadian political and business leaders on financial, business and trade issues. He will also use the opportunity to brief them on the latest developments in Hong Kong. He will emphasise Hong Kong's advantages as a business and service centre, and the importance the SAR attaches to the development of information technology and other high value-added industries.

The Chief Executive will be in Toronto and Ottawa from May 9 to 11 before leaving for the United States. He will be in San Francisco from May 12 to 14 and will visit the Silicon Valley on May 13. Mr Tung will return to Hong Kong on May 16.

Accompanying the Chief Executive on the visit will be the Secretary for Trade and Industry, Mr Chau Tak Hay; the Information Coordinator, Mr Stephen Lam; and the Private Secretary to the Chief Executive, Mr Joshua Law. The Chief Executive will also be accompanied by Mrs Tung.

End/Thursday, April 1, 1999

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