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The Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong, Mr Mike Rowse, met today (June 19) with leading representatives of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou and Dongguan municipalities.

The purpose of the visit was to discuss mutual co-operation for promoting foreign direct investment to Hong Kong and Guangdong Province.

These efforts will include an increase in joint events, promotions and other initiatives to attract international companies to establish manufacturing plants in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), and their headquarters and management offices in Hong Kong.

The delegation met with the Mayor of Guangzhou Municipality City, Mr Zhang Guangning; the Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation of Guangdong Province, Mr Liang Yaowen; and the Director-General of the Bureau of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation of Guangzhou Municipality, Mr XIAO Zhenyu.

In Dongguan, Mr Rowse and his delegation were received by the Deputy Mayor of Dongguan Municipality City, Mr Zhang Shunguang; and the Deputy Director-Generals of the Bureau of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation of Dongguan Municipality, Messrs Yang Xiaotang and Huang Guanqiu.

Mr Rowse was pleased with the outcome of his discussions in Guangzhou and Dongguan.

He said: "The PRD region of Guangdong Province is one of the most affluent and fastest growing regions in China. It is also an enormously attractive market, with average annual growth of nearly 17% over the past decade.

"Together with Hong Kong, the PRD offers a winning combination to international investors - access to low-cost labour for manufacturing plants, as well as the world-class infrastructure, regulatory framework and rule of law in Hong Kong for their management offices."

Mr Rowse added: "This co-operation will benefit all parties involved, and I am confident that it will result in increased investment inflows on both sides of the boundary."

Invest Hong Kong is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government department charged with encouraging and facilitating foreign and Mainland direct investment into the city by providing all the support needed to establish a business presence here.

End/Thursday, June 19, 2003

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