The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, will visit Bonn, Frankfurt and Paris between March 8 and 14 to strengthen Hong Kong's ties with Germany and France and to update political and business leaders in both countries on developments in Hong Kong.

The Chief Executive will reassure overseas audiences of Hong Kong's continued role as a regional business and financial centre, and as the pre-eminent gateway to Mainland China and the East-Asian region. He will highlight the active role being played by Hong Kong in the tripartite business relation involving Hong Kong, Mainland China and other trading partners, in welding together the relative strengths of the three.

Mr Tung will discuss with political and business leaders the recent Asian financial crisis and will underline Hong Kong's sound economic fundamentals and the fact that our financial markets have remained stable.

Mr Tung will use the opportunity to brief his interlocutors on the smooth implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle and latest developments in Hong Kong since its reunification with China. He will seek to promote travel convenience for HKSAR passport holders.

Mr Tung will also emphasize Hong Kong's advantages as a service centre. He will update his interlocutors on the major infrastructural projects in the pipeline, and the many business opportunities arising from these projects and other developments in Hong Kong.

The Chief Executive will be in Bonn and Frankfurt on March 9 and 10, and in Paris from March 11 to 13. He will return to Hong Kong on March 14.

In Bonn, Mr Tung will call on the German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and the President of the Federal Parliament (Bundestag) Mrs Rita Sussmuth. He will have meetings with senior ministers of the Federal Government, other political leaders and think-tank groups. He will also attend a dinner hosted by the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Industries (APA) together with the Federation of German Industry (BDI), the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHT) and the East Asia Association (OAV).

The Chief Executive will meet leaders of the business and financial community in Frankfurt, including the President of the European Monetary Institute. There, he will also deliver a keynote speech at a luncheon jointly hosted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office based in Brussels.

In Paris, Mr Tung will call on French President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Lionel Jospin. He will meet other senior ministers of the French Government, as well as leaders of the business and financial community in Paris. He will give a keynote address at a luncheon jointly hosted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the French Employers Association (CNPF). Mr Tung will also take the opportunity of his visit to France to speak to major think tanks and key business organisations.