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The Year of the Dragon should be an eventful one for Hong Kong as it approaches and celebrates the 15th anniversary of the establishment the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, Miss Mary Chow, said when addressing guests in Dublin, Ireland, on February 3 (Dublin time) at a reception hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Brussels (HKETO, Brussels) to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
The reception was the first in a series of events that the HKETO, Brussels is hosting around Europe to mark the start of the Year of the Dragon and to renew ties with contacts in European Union institutions, national governments, business circles, academia and the media.
The President of the European Commission, Mr Herman Van Rompuy, a former Prime Minister of Belgium, will be the guest of honour at the reception to be held in Brussels on February 7.
"On July 1, we will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR. The unique principle of 'One Country, Two Systems' has been operating well in Hong Kong since 1997. We continue to enjoy a high degree of autonomy and freedoms guaranteed by our constitutional document, the Basic Law," Miss Chow said.
"Today, our city ranks alongside London and New York as a leading global financial centre. It also serves as the premier international gateway for business into and out of the Mainland of China and as an international asset management and capital formation centre.
"Another significant development last year was the meteoric rise of our offshore Renminbi business and the introduction of new measures by the Central Government to support the role Hong Kong plays in promoting the wider use of Renminbi in international trade and investment."
Hong Kong has retained its world number one status for funds raised through initial public offerings for the third year in a row. Hong Kong was also ranked at the top in the World Economic Forum Financial Development Report 2011, and is the first Asian market to achieve this top ranking. In addition, the US-based Heritage Foundation earlier this year named Hong Kong as the world's freest economy for the 18th straight year.
"Many companies therefore use Hong Kong as the stepping stone to expand their business to our part of the world. The Government's investment promotion arm, InvestHK, helped over 300 companies to set up or expand their operations in Hong Kong last year," Miss Chow added.
Design will be another highlight in 2012, which has been designated as Hong Kong Design Year.
"Design is one of the fastest growing sectors in Hong Kong, and we are truly becoming a city driven by design. Events to celebrate Hong Kong's design excellence will include the annual Business of Design Week in November, which has become the most important event of its kind in Asia," Miss Chow told the guests.
The Chinese New Year celebration in Dublin was co-hosted by HKETO, Brussels and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council in association with the Ireland-Hong Kong Business Forum. Similar receptions will be held in Paris, Brussels, the Hague, Luxembourg, Milan, Madrid, Barcelona, Venice, Istanbul and Lisbon in the coming few weeks.
An internationally renowned magician from Hong Kong, Mr Louis Yan, will also be invited to perform a magic show at the receptions to be held in Brussels, Paris and the Hague.
A total of around 1,400 guests are expected to attend the events.
Ends/Monday, February 6, 2012
Issued at HKT 11:42
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