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The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, said today (February 18) that recovery from the global financial crisis would be swifter and less painful if economies acted together in the spirit of openness and transparency and promote fair competition.
"In Hong Kong we see an opportunity to further open our door to trade and investment with our neighbours across the boundary on the Mainland of China and with our partners in the region including Japan," Mr Tsang said at the Japan National Press Club on the third day of his stay in Tokyo.
"Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macau, all part of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, are working to forge a closer partnership in a wide range of fields to strengthen intra-region connectivity, remove barriers to trade and investment, enhance environmental protection, and promote innovation and technology."
He added that Hong Kong was moving ahead with 10 infrastructure mega-projects to better connect Hong Kong to cities in the PRD region and to create about 250,000 jobs.
"I was particularly encouraged by a recent survey by the Japan Centre for Economic Research (JCER) based here in Tokyo. Hong Kong was rated number one in the world in the JCER's Potential Competitiveness Ranking 2008. We have remained in first place for four years in a row," the Chief Executive said.
Mr Tsang started the day by visiting a virtual reality media laboratory in Tokyo. He experienced the use of advanced virtual reality technology in a virtual tour of world heritage, to have a better understanding of the development of creative industry in Japan.
Mr Tsang also officiated at the launch luncheon of the "Meetings and Exhibitions Hong Kong" (MEHK) Japan office which is a new agency of the Hong Kong Tourism Board dedicated to providing services and support for meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions in Hong Kong.
In the evening, the Chief Executive will launch the Japan-Hong Kong Tourism Exchange Year at a dinner reception to further promote two-way travel between the two places.
Mr Tsang will leave Japan for Seoul, Korea tomorrow morning (February 19).
Ends/Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:37
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