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The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So, leading the Hong Kong, China, delegation, will leave for Geneva, Switzerland, tomorrow (December 15) to attend the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The Ministerial Conference will be held from tomorrow to Saturday (December 15 to 17) with three themes: "Importance of the Multilateral Trading System and the WTO", "Trade and Development" and "Doha Development Agenda".
Ministers or representatives from 153 members of the WTO will review the operation of the multilateral trading system and discuss the accession of new members to the WTO and how the WTO can assist the integration of developing countries into the multilateral trading system. They will also review the progress made on the negotiations of the Doha Development Agenda and look for approaches to advance the negotiations toward a successful conclusion.
In Geneva, Mr So will take the opportunity to meet his ministerial counterparts to discuss how to strengthen the WTO's work and move forward the Doha Round negotiations. They will also exchange views on issues of mutual interest.
The Hong Kong, China, delegation will include the Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the WTO, Mr Martin Glass; the Director-General of Trade and Industry, Ms Maria Kwan; and representatives from the Trade and Industry Department.
Mr So will return to Hong Kong next Monday morning (December 19).
Ends/Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:00
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