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The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, today (May 30) met representatives of professional organisations to discuss how to seize opportunities arising from the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) and the 11th Five-Year Plan to further the development of Hong Kong's professional sector.
Mr Tsang said the SAR Government had supported various professions to tap business opportunities on the Mainland. "After reviewing the implementation of CEPA in the past three years, one of the Government's policy objectives is to co-operate more closely with the professional sector. We will help them explore new niches in the Mainland market by enriching CEPA and establishing and expanding a close-knit network of professional services," Mr Tsang said.
"We hope that more opportunities and new areas for development will arise from these two directions."
The Chief Executive said the country was developing fast and the realisation of the plan would have a profound impact on the prevailing economic development track and strategies. "We should reconsider our follow-up actions to the plan to further the development of the economies of Hong Kong and the Mainland."
The Chief Executive said the professional services sector had a competitive edge but it must constantly adapt to the changing environment on the Mainland, to widen its scope for development and to meet challenges from other competitors.
"How Hong Kong's service sector can move towards the top end of the value-added chain; how we can better serve the Mainland market; and how we can expand the market share on the Mainland are not only the concerns of the professional sector but they will also affect the sustained economic development of Hong Kong."
Ends/Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:46
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