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This morning (June 22, Brussels time) , the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Anson Chan, attended a breakfast meeting with the Chairman and CEO of Fortis Bank in Brussels. The Fortis Bank's recent acquisitions have given it a formidable presence in 13 Asia-Pacific countries, in particular Hong Kong and the Mainland where the long-established Belgian Bank operations have been absorbed into the new mega-bank. Fortis intends to spend more than 13 million Euros expanding its consumer banking operations in Hong Kong. Mrs Chan explained Hong Kong's recent initiatives to reform the securities and futures markets and banking sector and to improve the business environment in Hong Kong.

Mrs Chan then called on the President of the European Commission, Mr Romano Prodi, and the European Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs, Mr Antonio Vitorino. Mrs Chan thanked the President for his staunch support for Hong Kong. She welcomed the Commission's second report on Hong Kong which commended the faithful implementation of "one country two systems" in Hong Kong. Mrs Chan also thanked the President and Commissioner Vitorino for their support for our request for visa-free access for HKSAR passport holders.

Mrs Chan addressed Belgian businessmen during a lunch hosted by the Belgium-Hong Kong Society, the Belgian-Chinese Economic and Commercial Council and the Royal Institute for International Relations.

Mrs Chan underlined the close economic ties between Hong Kong and Belgium and the EU as a whole. "Belgian and European trade with Hong Kong and the wider Asian market did suffer in the previous two years due to the Asian financial crisis. But trade between Belgium/Luxembourg and Hong Kong is again on an upward trend - growing by 13.6% in 1999," she said. This indicated both the strong recovery of Hong Kong's economy, and the renewed interest from Belgian and European companies in trade and investment with Hong Kong and the wider Asian region.

"Last month we had the honour of welcoming Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde to Hong Kong after their very successful visit to China with a Belgian business mission. I am certain that they and their delegation gained a deeper understanding of how Hong Kong has moved ahead since their previous visit in 1996. Also I believe they saw for themselves the advantages that Hong Kong has to offer as a hub for trade and investment in the region, in particular with the Mainland."

In the afternoon Mrs Chan will call on European Commissioner for External Relations, Christopher Patten. She will attend a dinner hosted by Mr Patten this evening. Tomorrow Mrs Chan will visit Seghers, a company specialised in environmental technology.

Photo: Photo shows the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Anson Chan, meeting with Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs of European Commission,Mr Antonio Vitorino (second from left), in Brussels.

End/Thursday,June 22, 2000

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