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The Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, led a shipping mission to Malaysia today (June 28) to promote Hong Kong as an international maritime centre and a premier hub port.
The delegation comprises members of the Hong Kong Maritime Industry Council (MIC) and Hong Kong Port Development Council (PDC), industry leaders and the legislative councillor representing the transport constituency, Ms Miriam Lau.
A spokesman for the Transport and Housing Bureau said that the Government attached great importance to the development of the shipping industry and had been working in close co-operation with the MIC in promoting Hong Kong's maritime services and strengthening Hong Kong's position as a maritime hub.
The current visit to Malaysia follows similar missions to Vietnam and Shanghai last year and is the fifth such mission since 2007.
Ms Cheng will meet the country's Minister of Transport, Dato' Sri Kong Cho Ha, and Minister of International Trade and Industry, Dato' Sri Mustapa Bin Mohamed, in Kuala Lumpur.
The delegation will attend a seminar entitled "Hong Kong - Your Partner for Success in the Maritime World" and a luncheon to be held in the capital tomorrow. Members will introduce to the Malaysian shipping community Hong Kong's strengths in different areas of the maritime industry at the seminar and Ms Cheng will deliver a keynote speech at the luncheon.
The seminar is organised by the MIC, PDC and co-organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Other networking programmes arranged for the mission to meet key players in the country¡¦s maritime and port sectors include visits to the Shipping Association Malaysia, the Malaysian Shipowners' Association, the Malaysian National Shippers Council and Port Klang, Malaysia's largest container port.
Ms Cheng will return to Hong Kong tomorrow while other delegation members will remain in Malaysia for one more day.
Ends/Monday, June 28, 2010
Issued at HKT 15:17
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