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The following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, at the Banquet hosted for Her Majesty, the Queen of the Netherlands at Government House this (Monday)evening:
Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
It is indeed a great honour and pleasure to welcome Your Majesty and Your Royal Highness to Hong Kong - your first official visit to our city, although, I understand, you are no stranger to our shores or to our shops.
While your visit on this occasion is all too short, I hope that in the brief time available you can get an appreciation of what Hong Kong is today - a city that's proud to be reunited with China, a city confidently moving ahead to overcome the fallout from the Asian financial turmoil, and a hard-working people, like the Dutch, who have fashioned a dynamic environment which successfully blends the cultures of the east and the west.
In this regard, our ties with The Netherlands have traditionally been close, going back to the earliest days when cargoes were carried in the holds of ships of the United East Indian Company and the sailors were at the mercy of the trade winds. Since the early part of this century, the Dutch have been closely involved in helping to build Hong Kong. This has continued today: perhaps the most spectacular example is when you flew into our magnificent new airport earlier today, you were touching down on the land largely formed by the Dutch dredging fleet.
Your Majesty, as I have just illustrated, the Dutch community plays an important role in Hong Kong's status as an international city, not only as a member of the European Union, but in your own right. Last year, The Netherlands was our 12th largest trading partner with a total trade amounting to some HK$37 billion. Within the EU itself, you are the second largest investor in Hong Kong. This demonstrates the commitment of your business executives to the future of Hong Kong.
In fact, the Dutch Business Association, though compact in size, is one of the most active international business groupings in Hong Kong. With China's accession to the WTO soon becoming a reality, Hong Kong is well poised to play a key role to help Dutch firms to take advantage of the new trading and business opportunities in Mainland China.
Your Majesty, I am glad to know that you had a fruitful meeting with President Jiang Zemin in Beijing on April 12 and that your official visit was a great success. It is particularly pleasing that the warm relationship between China and The Netherlands has been further strengthened by your visit. This in turn will help to build on the already strong bonds between Hong Kong and The Netherlands.
Once again, Your Majesty, it is a great pleasure to welcome you to Hong Kong. I hope that on your return to The Netherlands you will carry back with you an impression of a community that has successfully and proudly made the transition to a Special Administrative Region of China, a region that is positively confronting the challenges ahead; and is diversifying into new areas at the dawn of the new millennium.
Thank you very much.
End/Monday, April 19, 1999
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