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The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, has today (October 26, Washington time) explained Hong Kong's latest economic and political developments to a range of influential Congressmen, business leaders and a prominent think-tank in the US capital, Washington D.C.
On the first day of a three-day visit, Mr Tsang met House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert, the corporate lobby group Business Roundtable and the free-market think tank the Cato Institute.
He also met House Committee on International Relations chairman Henry Hyde and committee members, including the committee's Ranking Member Tom Lantos, and the chairman of the Asia and the Pacific sub-committee Jim Leach.
"They all expressed a very keen interest in the latest developments in Hong Kong, both on the political and economic fronts," said Mr Tsang.
"These are very important and significant political figures and organisations in the United States, which directly and indirectly influence the relationship between Hong Kong and United States, and perhaps the international impression of Hong Kong.
"I think it is important that we talk to them candidly, explaining to them the intentions behind major policies taken in Hong Kong, which have caught international interest - particularly the role of the Central Government in some of these policy issues.
"I think these exchanges are very important and useful at dispelling unnecessary misconceptions about Hong Kong among leading figures in the American administration, Congress and the business sector."
On the political reform issue, Mr Tsang explained that the proposals released last week represented a major advance of Hong Kong's democratic arrangements.
"These developments were welcomed by my interlocutors, including chairman Hyde who made this assurance to all of you."
Mr Hyde had earlier told reporters, when asked if he had seen progress on the political reform issue: "Hong Kong is an area of great promise and hope . . . I do see progress, yes I do."
Other issues of interest during the day included Hong Kong's contingency plans for a possible outbreak of avian flu, and Hong Kong's preparations for World Trade Organisation's 6th Ministerial Conference in December.
The Chief Executive said Hong Kong was determined to work for a meaningful outcome at the WTO Ministerial Conference. As a non-agricultural economy, he said Hong Kong was well placed to act as an 'honest broker' to try to help narrow differences on the contentious agriculture issue.
Mr Tsang also outlined how the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) with the Mainland, and the Pan-PRD economic co-operation initiative were both designed to boost two-way trade and investment flows through Hong Kong to the Mainland and global markets.
"Our role as a financial centre and logistics hub has been strengthened by CEPA and will be boosted further over time as the Pan-PRD initiative takes root," he said.
"CEPA's objectives are to strengthen trade and investment co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong, open up the market further, remove trade and investment hurdles, progressively improve market access and realise trade liberalisation."
Tomorrow, Mr Tsang is due to meet Vice President Dick Cheney, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senator Dianne Feinstein, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, as well as have breakfast with The Heritage Foundation and lunch with the Brookings Institution.
Tomorrow night, he will deliver a keynote speech at the annual gala dinner of the Asia Society Washington Centre, during which he will explain the background and context of Hong Kong's political reform package and process.
Note: The Business Roundtable is an association of the chief executive officers of more than 160 of America's leading corporations with a combined workforce of more than 10 million and revenues exceeding US$4 trillion.
The Cato Institute's stated mission is to 'defend liberty by promoting policy solutions that rely on free markets and civil society, rather than government, to solve societal problems'. The Institute, along with Canada's Fraser Institute, has consistently ranked Hong Kong as the world's freest economy.
Ends/Thursday, October 27, 2005
Issued at HKT 10:40
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