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The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Frederick Ma, will attend the 10th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Finance Ministers meeting in Phuket, Thailand on September 4 and 5.

The meeting will emphasize the common goal in forging closer economic partnerships and strengthening the financial cooperation across the Asia-Pacific region. Focus will be placed on three sub-themes - the fiscal and financial cooperation in respect of grass-root and small and medium enterprise development, review of the benefits of securitization and regional bond market, and the fiscal and financial aspects of regional trading arrangements.

A session will also be arranged for the Finance Ministers to exchange views with representatives of the financial and business sectors from member economies on the current global and regional financial situations and the progress of on-going financial reform and adjustment.

During the APEC meeting, Mr Ma will speak on, among other things, the development of regional bond market.

Member economies of APEC are Australia; Brunei Darusaalam; Canada; Chile; China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; the Philippines; Russia; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; the United States of America, and Vietnam.

End/Wednesday, September 3, 2003

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