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The Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang, started his busy schedule in Chengdu today (April 18).
In the morning, Mr Tsang first toured around Tianfu.Hi-tech Window and New Tianfu City to learn more about the development of high-tech industries in Chengdu. In Chengdu Financial City, Mr Tsang was given a briefing on its future plans and development.
Later, Mr Tsang visited the Sichuan Hong Kong Rehabilitation Centre in the Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital to inspect the progress of a post-quake reconstruction project funded by Hong Kong.
This was followed by a meeting with the Vice Governor of Sichuan Province, Mr Wei Hong.
"Under the National Twelfth Five-year Plan, the development of the western part of the Mainland is high on the agenda. Chengdu and Chongqing will be developed as strategic cities and will play an enhanced role in the western region.
"We hope Hong Kong's service industries may use Sichuan as a springboard to enter the western region and tap the vast domestic market there," Mr Tsang said.
A working lunch was arranged for Mr Tsang to discuss investment and business issues concerning the two places. The lunch was attended by Hong Kong businessmen with investment in Chengdu, local businessmen who have invested or intend to invest in Hong Kong, local senior officials and representatives of trade organisations.
After concluding his visit to Chengdu in the afternoon, Mr Tsang headed to Chongqing for the second leg of his visit.
Ends/Monday, April 18, 2011
Issued at HKT 14:48
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