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The following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, at the Reception for the Delegation of Hong Kong Professional Groups to Beijing today (October 16):
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure to meet you here today. First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you every success in your visit to Beijing and the western mainland.
As I said in my address at the Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony of the Joint Professional Centre on 1 August 2000, our professionals are not just a representation of the elites of Hong Kong. The enormous contributions constantly made by various professional groups have enabled Hong Kong to achieve tremendous success in its physical and social developments. Our rule of law is upheld. We enjoy excellent medical and health services. Hong Kong has attained the status as an international business centre widely recognised in the global community.
China's imminent accession to the World Trade Organisation and the development of the western mainland will definitely bring new challenges and unprecedented opportunities to Hong Kong. The opening up of the vast mainland market to overseas investors will be sped up. And above all, the mainland will be able to align itself with the rest of the world in terms of business environment and standards. Foreign investors who want to do business in the mainland and mainland entrepreneurs who want to gain access to the international markets will both need the strong support of a critical mass of talented professionals. With an ample supply of quality professionals in various disciplines, Hong Kong is in the right place at the right time. We have to act as promptly as possible to grasp the emerging opportunities right before others and make contributious to facilitate the modernisation of our country and explore overseas and mainland markets for our service industries. Besides, with economic globalisation and increasingly tough competitions, we have to strengthen and broaden our foundation in terms of talents and to fill the lacunae of our talented workforce, especially in new and rapidly developing industries, such as information and technology, through the Admission of Talents Scheme whenever there is a need so as to maintain Hong Kong's position as an international business centre. Our objective is to promote interflow of talents with the mainland to achieve mutual benefits on a complementary basis.
Since different professional trades have their own demands and needs, members of each profession must have a thorough understanding of their own professional trade, seek and grasp every opportunity open to them in order to gain access to the mainland market. The Government will certainly cooperate and offer assistance in every aspect. I would like to congratulate Mr LEUNG Chun-ying and others who assist in coordinating and organising the visit to Beijing. I sincerely hope that you will strengthen cooperation and communication with your mainland counterparts, and share your experience with other professional trades upon your return to Hong Kong and work together to explore the mainland market. Once again, I would like to wish you a fruitful journey.
End/Monday, October 16, 2000
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Photo: The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, hosted a reception for professional groups at Government House. The professionals, which include architects engineers, lawyers and accountants, will depart for Beijing on October 18. Picture shows Mr Tung chatting with members of the professional organizations.
