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The Financial Secretary, Mr Henry Tang, will depart for Tokyo today (October 29) to attend the first investment environment seminar jointly organised by the HKSAR Government and the Guangdong authorities.

Mr Tang will give a keynote speech at the investment seminar tomorrow morning (October 30) to provide an update on the SAR's economic development and highlight the business opportunities in the Pearl River Delta. It is expected that the seminar will attract more than 800 participants.

In the afternoon, Mr Tang will speak at another seminar jointly organised by Invest Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, focusing on the implications of the Mainland / Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) for Hong Kong and Japanese companies.

Apart from addressing the Japanese business community, Mr Tang will also call on senior Japanese government officials responsible for economic, fiscal and monetary policies to exchange views on economic development in the region.

Mr Tang will return to Hong Kong in the afternoon of October 31. During the absence of Mr Tang, the Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, Mr Stephen Ip, will be the Acting Financial Secretary.

Ends/Wednesday, October 29, 2003

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