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Following is the transcript of the meet-the-media session by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, at Central Government Offices before leaving for his duty visit to Beijing this (Thursday) afternoon:

Reporter: There have been accusations that your Board of International Advisers is a boys' club and ... of your friends?

Mr Tung: What do you think?

Reporter: I don't know. You tell me.

Mr Tung: I tell you. You know, these people are the chief executives, all ex-central bankers, reserve chairmen, chief executives of some of the largest companies in the world. They have outstanding achievements in their own fields, whether in finance area, in economic area, in area of technology, area of manufacturing. In fact, if they are in business, they are part of the fortune 500 companies. So I think we are very fortunate in Hong Kong to have this group of people to give us advice as to how we move forward. You know we are determined to make Hong Kong the international city in Asia, the business city in Asia. And I think we are very fortunate. They are willing to spare their time to help us to achieve that objective.

Reporter: So it is coincidence that they are your friends then?

Mr Tung: Well, you know, I have been in business for most part of my life and I have many many friends around the world.

Chief Executive's meet-the-media session (Chinese)

End/Thursday, October 15, 1998

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