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CS ends fruitful visit to France (with photos)
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    The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Henry Tang, has received a warm response from French political, cultural and business leaders on Hong Kong¡¦s drive to become the cultural and wine distribution hub in Asia and its determination to make the Olympics Equestrian Events this August a success. 

    During his visit to Paris from May 11 to 14, Mr Tang held constructive meetings with Minister for the Economy, Industry and Employment, Mrs Christine Lagarde; Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr Michel Barnier; and Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, Mrs Anne-Marie Idrac.  He updated them on the latest developments in Hong Kong and highlighted the exciting business opportunities promised by the Government's determination to develop Hong Kong into a wine distribution hub in Asia. 

    "The ministers are keen to develop closer economic links with Hong Kong.  They welcome our recent reduction in wine duty and are highly supportive of using Hong Kong as the hub to tap into the Asian wine market.  I am glad that the French Government has agreed to my proposal of concluding a bilateral arrangement to share with us experience in promoting wine-related trade and tourism, as well as providing training on wine-tasting.  Both sides also look forward to a more frequent presence of the French wine industry in wine expos in Hong Kong.  These measures will help build up the software necessary to support the expected surge in wine trade," Mr Tang said. 

    During the meetings, Mr Tang reaffirmed Hong Kong's strong commitment to promote trade liberalisation through the WTO process.  He agreed to take forward the French side's proposals to promote bilateral collaboration between the stock exchanges and between the securities regulators, as well as sharing Hong Kong's experience in maintaining a business-friendly environment. 

    Speaking at a luncheon hosted by MEDEF, the most influential French employers' organisation, and a business luncheon co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Mr Tang appealed to the attending business leaders to make best use of Hong Kong as the springboard to enter the Asian market. 

    "Hong Kong offers enormous business opportunities through a business-friendly platform, a free trade pact with the Mainland, and the myriad major infrastructure projects in the pipeline," Mr Tang said.

    During his meeting with Minister for Culture and Communication, Ms Christine Albanel, Mr Tang briefed her on Hong Kong's vision to build an art and culture metropolis and on the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) project.  Both sides agreed that there would be ample opportunities to further promote bilateral cultural exchanges. 

    Mr Tang visited Musˆme Guimet and Centre Pompidou, which are renowned for their respective collections of Asian and contemporary art.  Both museums expressed interest in stepping up co-operation and exchanges with Hong Kong museums, in particular with the future M+ in WKCD. 

    Mr Tang also met the LVMH Group Chairman, Mr Bernard Arnault, and witnessed the signing of a letter of intent between the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Louis-Vuitton Art Foundation to organise an exhibition of selected art works from the foundation¡¦s collection at the Hong Kong Museum of Art in 2009.

    "The exhibition will feature a selection of masterpieces by modern and contemporary masters from the collection of the LV Art Foundation.  This is the first time the foundation's collection will go international.  We are extremely pleased by the foundation's vote of confidence in Hong Kong.  We look forward to working closely with the foundation to launch a most successful exhibition in Hong Kong that makes an impact internationally," Mr Tang said.   

    Mr Tang also met the Minister of State for Co-operation and the Francophonie, Mr Alain Joyandet, and the Chinese Ambassador to France, Mr Kong Quan, to exchange views on issues of mutual interest. 

    Mr Tang also looked forward to France, a country with strong equestrian tradition, sending a strong team of athletes and horses to Hong Kong to compete in the Olympics Equestrian Events in August.

    Rounding up his visit to Europe, Mr Tang said, "I am very pleased that European officials and business leaders have strong confidence in the 'One Country, Two Systems' being implemented in Hong Kong.  They are glad to know that we are moving towards universal suffrage in our electoral system.  They remain very upbeat about the economic prospect of Hong Kong and show great interest in what we are doing to sustain our growth and improve the quality of living." 

    Mr Tang will return Hong Kong tomorrow (May 15). 

Ends/Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Issued at HKT 19:45

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