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The Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang, started the second leg of his Central Europe visit in Warsaw, Poland, yesterday evening (September 22, Warsaw time), calling on the Chinese Ambassador to Poland, Mr Xu Jian.
Mr Tsang met a number of senior officials and spoke at a business luncheon today (September 23, Warsaw time) to strengthen political and business ties between Hong Kong and Poland.
Mr Tsang started the day by meeting with the Undersecretary of State for Africa, Asia and Middle East Policy, Public and Economic Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Ms Katarzyna Kacperczyk. The meeting helped to enhance mutual understanding of the latest economic developments in Poland and Hong Kong, as well as possible areas of co-operation under the "Belt and Road" initiative.
This was followed by a meeting with the President of the National Bank of Poland, Professor Marek Belka. They discussed the economic outlook in Europe and the latest developments of offshore Renminbi business in Hong Kong.
Mr Tsang visited the Warsaw Stock Exchange, which is one of the fastest growing exchanges in Europe, and met with its President, Mr Pawel Tamborski, to better understand the operations there.
A meeting was held with the Minister of Finance of Poland, Mr Mateusz Szczurek. Noting that the "Belt and Road" initiative will generate plenty of room for co-operation in fields such as infrastructure and finance, both sides agreed to enhance economic, trade and financial co-operation.
At a business luncheon co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Berlin, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Polish Chamber of Commerce, Mr Tsang spoke with the business community in Poland on how Hong Kong can support Polish business to capitalise on the wealth of opportunities emerging from the "Belt and Road", citing Hong Kong's strengths as an international financial centre, a fundraising and financial management hub, the world's largest offshore Renminbi business centre and a global centre for asset management and risk management.
Before concluding his visit to Poland, Mr Tsang will attend a presentation on the Lodz Special Economic Zone. Lodz is the final destination for the Chengdu-Europe Express railway.
Mr Tsang will start the third leg of his three-nation Central Europe visit in Dusseldorf, Germany, tomorrow (September 24, Dusseldorf time).
Ends/Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Issued at HKT 20:24
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