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The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Frederick Ma, of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Ms Mercedes Araoz Fernandez, of the Government of the Republic of Peru, on behalf of their respective governments, today (May 30, Peru time) signed a joint statement on strengthening trade and economic relations.
The signing ceremony took place at the margins of the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation's Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting in Arequipa, Peru.
Mr Ma said both governments had a shared desire and willingness to develop and strengthen bilateral trade and economic relations. The two sides would work towards the development of a co-operation arrangement on trade and investment facilitation. This would lay the foundation for future consideration of a free trade agreement between Hong Kong and Peru.
The arrangement will cover the co-operation initiatives and encouragement of dialogue and information exchange on the following areas:
- Facilitation and promotion of trade in goods (including organisation of trade fairs and exhibitions, discussion of regulations and standards such as sanitary and phytosanitary measures);
- Facilitation and promotion of trade in services in sectors of mutual interest (e.g. financial services, rail and maritime transportation, logistics and related services, tourism);
- Facilitation and promotion of investment;
- Co-operation on protection of intellectual property rights; and
- Customs co-operation.
Other areas may also be covered under the co-operation arrangement, subject to agreement between the two governments.
Ends/Saturday, May 31, 2008
Issued at HKT 11:00
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