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The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So, will leave Hong Kong on August 9 (Sunday) for a duty visit to Melbourne, Canberra and Adelaide in Australia to promote closer ties between Hong Kong and Australia.
Upon arrival in Melbourne, Mr So will speak at a boardroom lunch organised by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia on August 10. He will also meet with start-ups in Melbourne. In the evening, Mr So will attend a dinner gathering with Hong Kong people living and working in Melbourne.
On August 11, Mr So will visit the Kangan Institute, a technical and further education provider, and meet with delegates from the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia to learn about the development of the fashion industry in Australia. He will then attend a boardroom lunch organised by the Business Council of Australia. On the same day, Mr So will call on the Chinese Consul-General in Melbourne, Mr Song Yumin. During his stay in Melbourne, Mr So will also meet with government officials of Victoria. He will depart for Canberra in the evening.
On August 12, Mr So will meet with senior government officials of Australia to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations between Hong Kong and Australia.
Mr So will visit Adelaide on August 13 and 14. He will meet with government officials of South Australia to discuss issues of mutual concern. He will also meet with the wine associations, and visit wineries as well as food and wine research organisations in South Australia. While in Adelaide, Mr So will attend an eye-dotting ceremony and a reception jointly hosted by the OzAsia Festival and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Sydney. The OzAsia Festival is Australia's leading arts festival giving access to the theatre, dance, music, film and visual arts from across Asia. Mr So will deliver a keynote speech at the gala dinner of the Hong Kong-Australia Business Association (South Australia Chapter) Business Awards.
Before returning to Hong Kong in the morning of August 16, Mr So will make a stopover in Sydney to see the operation of food trucks in the city.
The Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Godfrey Leung, will be the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development during Mr So's absence.
Ends/Friday, August 7, 2015
Issued at HKT 15:02
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