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The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Frederick Ma, today (July 16, Frankfurt time) kept bankers in Frankfurt abreast of the current situation in Hong Kong as he continued his promotional tour in Europe.

His week-long visit covers London, Frankfurt and Zurich.

On the third day of his visit programme, Mr Ma met with the Central Bank of Germany (Deutsche Bundesbank), the European Central Bank, and a few other banks.

At a lunch hosted in honour of him by the President of the Central Bank of Germany, Mr Ernst Welteke, Mr Ma exchanged views with Mr Welteke and Members of the Bank's Executive Board on various economic and financial issues. Mr Ma also met with Member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank, Professor Otmar Issing, and the Bank's Director (General Payment Systems), Mr Jean-Michel Godeffroy.

Later in the day, Mr Ma visited the Stock Exchange in Frankfurt (Deutsche Borse). He also attended a concert of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and a gala dinner with 300 guests comprising mainly representatives from European institutions and national governments, diplomats, and senior business, cultural and media figures.

End/Thursday, July 17, 2003

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