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Following is the speech (English only) by the Financial Secretary, Mr Henry Tang, at the Opening Ceremony of the Logistics Hong Kong International Conference and Exhibition this morning (May 18):
Minister Zhang, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure to join you this morning and welcome you all to Logistics Hong Kong. We are very honored to have Minister Zhang Chunxian of the Ministry of Communications of the Central People's Government as our officiating guest. I am sure we will all benefit from your vision and insight on the development of the logistics industry in our region.
Logistics is a key industry in Hong Kong. We are strategically located at the heart of Asia, and have long established ourselves as a regional hub for international shipping and airfreight. With our state-of-the-art infrastructure, extensive service network and excellent information connectivity, we offer world-class logistics services that are second to none in terms of efficiency, reliability and value-for-money. It is not surprising that for many years, we have been topping the world's league in terms of container throughput and international air cargo.
Building on this strong foundation, we are embarking on major projects to further enhance our competitiveness in the logistics industry. We are determined to boost Hong Kong's multi-modal connectivity and capability so as to transform ourselves into a one-stop integrated logistics services center.
Logistics Hong Kong is a major initiative along our development path. This premier event is not only for attendees to learn of what Hong Kong has to offer, but also for international and local leaders in the logistics field to build on existing partnerships, exchange latest ideas, and hopefully, strike new deals. We are also eager to learn from speakers and delegates on how we can further consolidate and enhance our role as an international logistics hub and a two-way platform linking the Mainland of China to the rest of the world.
I know that some of our speakers and many delegates have traveled a long way to attend Logistics Hong Kong. My sincere thanks to you all for taking the time to help us make this event a success. I trust that your time in Hong Kong will be well spent with a full programme over the next three days. I wish you all a rewarding conference and a most pleasant stay in Hong Kong.
Thank you very much.
Ends/Tuesday, May 18, 2004
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