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Following is a speech by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Joseph W P Wong, on the occasion of the opening of the 20th Meeting of the APEC Human Resources

Development Working Group today (Tuesday):

Mr Wang Xiaochu, Lead Shepherd of the Human Resources Development Working Group,

Ambassador Serbini Ali, Deputy Executive Director of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation,

Distinguished delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a great pleasure for me, as the Secretary for Education and Manpower of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, to inaugurate the 20th Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Human Resources Development Working Group. Let me extend to all of you a very warm welcome to Hong Kong.

The Importance of Human Resources Development

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When APEC Economic Leaders met in Malaysia last year, they stressed the importance of human resources development (HRD) in realising our efforts for sustained growth in the economies of the Asia-Pacific region into the next century. HRD must continue to be a high priority issue for us all. Indeed, the Asian crisis has helped us focus on the importance of HRD in this knowledge-based community. The goal of HRD in APEC is to promote the well-being of all the people in the region through economic growth and development. That goal must be achieved by planning, developing and implementing education and training programmes for managers, entrepreneurs and workers, in both the public and private sectors.

In your deliberations over the next few days I am sure that you will be guided by this goal, as well as your past experience, as you discuss the variety of new project proposals before you. The Working Group meeting is also timely as we prepare for the 3rd APEC HRD Ministerial Meeting to be held in Washington, DC, in July this year, particularly as the theme of the 3rd Ministerial Meeting is "HRD Challenges and Opportunities in the New Millennium : Address the Impacts of the Regional Financial Crisis".

Conclusion

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So I wish you a very fruitful meeting this week, and look forward to seeing you again at the dinner reception on Thursday. I also hope you will find time to do some sight-seeing and shopping in Hong Kong.

Thank you

End/Tuesday, May 11, 1999

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