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The Hong Kong Financial Services Delegation to Fujian today (September 30) completed its three-day visit to Fuzhou and Xiamen. The trip aimed to enhance mutual understanding between Fujian and Hong Kong, and to enable Hong Kong's financial services sector and entrepreneurs to have a better idea of the latest development and investment opportunities in Fujian.
This is the first financial services delegation under the Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Co-operation Framework (9+2). The 70-strong delegation comprises leading figures of the banking sector, venture capital investment funds, chambers of commerce, securities industry as well as accounting and legal profession.
"Through presentation sessions and visits in the past few days, delegation members were able to gain a better understanding of the latest development and investment opportunities in Fujian province. We have also taken the chance to present the strengths of Hong Kong as an international financial centre and our professional services. I believe the visit has greatly enhanced the mutual communication and economic cooperation between Hong Kong and Fujian," Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Frederick Ma, said.
"As Fujian increases economic development, it will provide more opportunities for project financing, trade financing and capital-raising through public listing. Hong Kong, an international financial centre, has a sophisticated financial infrastructure as well as a rich pool of international financial services professionals, and thus can provide high quality services to Fujian in raising capital and various financing projects. We therefore encourage more Fujian enterprises to make use of our well-established financial market for listing and financing and to use Hong Kong as a platform for their global business," Mr Ma said.
"Fujian's economic development will also provide numerous investment opportunities for Hong Kong investors. The implementation of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement has also enabled our financial services providers and professionals to enjoy easier access to the Mainland market and greater flexibility in running businesses on the Mainland. I hope that by further enhancing our economic and trading partnership with Fujian, we will complement each other's strengths, achieve a win-win situation and facilitate mutual development," he added.
Ends/Friday, September 30, 2005
Issued at HKT 20:09
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