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Following is the opening statement by the Financial Secretary, Mr Henry Tang, at a press conference on Hong Kong's bid to host the International Telecommunication Union TELECOM WORLD 2006 this afternoon (June 3):

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am very pleased to announce that Hong Kong has successfully bid for the International Telecom Union World Exhibition world conference in December, 2006. The ITU World is the largest and most influential Telecom event in the world.

This conference is held once every three or four years to showcase the telecom industry. Since its inception in 1971, ITU World has never left Geneva. This is the first time they leave Geneva, and we are happy that we are the city chosen for this important conference.

We expect that we would attract about 100,000 overseas visitors. It will bring about $1.2 billion of direct economic benefit to Hong Kong and it will also showcase Hong Kong's exhibition industry as well as showcase our hotels, restaurants and retail industries and showcase Hong Kong as Asia's world city.

I would like to thank the Central People's Government, especially the Ministry of Information Industry as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their approval and their support in bidding for this event. The ITU is a United Nations agency, so our bid must have the support and approval of the Central People's Government as the representative of the People's Republic of China. They have given us their full support and we appreciate their efforts.

It has been an 18-month battle, since last December under the leadership of the Chief Executive, we have lobbied and worked hard to secure this event. We are very pleased that we have been able to secure it.

Ends/Thursday, June 3, 2004

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