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The Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, will depart for the United States later today (September 7) for a visit to two major cities, Los Angeles and San Francisco, on the country's west coast.
The Secretary, who is also Chairman of the Hong Kong Logistics Development Council, will join a 10-member delegation of the Council that is currently in the US promoting Hong Kong as a premier logistics hub. Together they will attend a variety of functions in Los Angeles before flying to San Francisco on September 9 for more events, including meetings with relevant authorities and key market players in the US logistics industry.
Ms Cheng will deliver keynote speeches at business luncheons in both cities to update the local business communities on Hong Kong's distinctive position in the provision of high value-added logistics services.
The delegation will also meet industry leaders and visit leading logistics companies to explore opportunities for enhanced co-operation between the US and Hong Kong in meeting the increasing demand for quality logistics services in Asia.
Other programmes will include a visit to the Port of Long Beach, the second-busiest port in the US.
Following the conclusion of the logistics mission, Ms Cheng will continue her visit to San Francisco from September 12 to 14 by attending the 7th Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) Transportation Ministerial Meeting and APEC Ministerial Conference on Transportation and Energy.
Transportation ministers and senior officials from the 21 APEC economies will discuss a wide range of issues with a focus on the promotion of green growth and innovation in transportation, the enhancement of regulatory co-operation and strengthening regional economic integration and expanding trade.
Ms Cheng will give a presentation on Hong Kong's railway development at the panel meeting on "Financing Transportation Infrastructure" on September 14.
As the only woman transport minister in the APEC region, she has also been invited to speak at a special panel entitled "Women in Transportation" on the same day.
A joint ministerial statement is expected to be announced at the end of the APEC Transportation Ministerial Meeting.
While in San Francisco, Ms Cheng will take the opportunity to meet with the Transbay Joint Project Authority and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to exchange views on the construction of large-scale transport infrastructure in well-developed cities. She will also visit one of the city's redevelopment projects.
Ends/Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Issued at HKT 14:40
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