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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Henry Tang, at a media session after inspecting preparations at the Hong Kong International Airport for the equestrian events today (July 23):
Reporter: After the bus blast in Kunming, is there any added security measures and any change in threat alert?
Chief Secretary for Administration: Presently we do not have any evidence that the bomb in Kunming pinpoints Hong Kong's equestrian events, so therefore our current threat level is still maintained at moderate.
Reporter: Can you summarise in English what you just said in Cantonese?
Chief Secretary for Administration: In the last year, ever since the test event, you will have noticed that we have taken every care to inspect all the venues - whether it's the competition venues, the hotel, airport facilities - to ensure that everything is in order. I am satisfied that everything is in order and we are ready for the equestrian events. This is going to be an unprecedented event. It is the first time that we have Chinese and Hong Kong athletes competing in the equestrian events as well as the Paralympics. It will be unprecedented because we have 42 countries participating and nearly 300 horses when you include the Paralympics event. We are very excited about it and look forward to the first batch of horses that will arrive this weekend.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Issued at HKT 19:25
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