Frank, friendly and useful exchanges during US, Canada
trips: CE (with photos)
******************************************************* The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, said today (October 28, Washington time) that his seven-day visit to North America had provided an excellent opportunity to engage a wide range of business and political leaders in friendly, frank and very useful discussions on Hong Kong's future prospects.
On the third and final day of his visit to Washington DC, Mr Tsang met Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and gave a luncheon briefing to the respected think-tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Throughout his visit to the US capital, political and economic developments dominated meetings which also included in-depth briefings to respected think tanks and lobby groups including The Brookings Institution, the Cato Institute, The Heritage Foundation and the Business Roundtable.
Other issues discussed in Washington were the WTO 6th Ministerial Conference to be held in Hong Kong in December, avian flu contingency plans, intellectual property rights protection and anti-terrorism measures.
"All of these subjects are close to the heart of Americans," Mr Tsang said.
"Overall, I believe I have completed my mission in Washington. I met as many think tanks, and as many people in business, in government and in Congress as possible within the time available.
"I think I have dispelled certain misunderstandings among them.
"And in fact I can see their excitement concerning the rapid economic recovery of Hong Kong. I'm sure it might lead to further investment and further exchanges between Hong Kong and the United States.
"On the whole, it was very busy, very occupied, but I think it was very worthwhile, it was all worthwhile."
Mr Tsang said that during his time in Washington he had very candid and frank exchanges on the question of political development in Hong Kong.
"Of course, we discussed constitutional development," he said.
"There have been different reactions, most of them very supportive of the measures we have taken to go forward in reaching universal suffrage.
"As far as the speed of democratisation is concerned, we have some positive support. For instance, yesterday Vice-President Cheney was very supportive and very positive.
"I also had a discussion with Secretary of State Rice on this matter.
"I agree entirely with her that we should quickly discuss the form of the legislature, the constitutional legislature, under the universal suffrage system. We hadn't seemed to be discussing this.
"I told her, I assured her, that we are pursuing this in the Commission for Strategic Development where there is a specific panel to pursue this."
Mr Tsang said he had done a lot of soul-searching, and put himself in the position of a Legislative Councillor who may oppose the political reform proposals.
He said that on reflection he could not find any rational reason why a Legislative Councillor should reject and oppose the recommendations of the reform package.
He also felt that his plans to nurture political talent at the district level, as outlined in his Policy Address, were the right direction to go in Hong Kong.
During a week-long visit, which also took in New York and Vancouver, Mr Tsang urged Canadian and US business to leverage Hong Kong's strengths in financial, logistics and legal services to develop business opportunities in Asia, particularly China.
In keynote speeches to a collective audience of well over 1,000 business leaders in Vancouver and New York, the Chief Executive outlined Hong Kong's strong economic performance, its competitive strengths and uniqueness in Asia, enhanced economic co-operation with the burgeoning Pearl River Delta area, and the enormous potential of the Pan-PRD economic grouping serving a market of 460 million.
In Washington DC, Mr Tsang explained a variety of issues, including the background and context of Hong Kong's constitutional development package to leading political figures including Vice-President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, House Speaker Denis Hastert, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, House Committee of International Relations chairman Henry Hyde, and Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dianne Feinstein.
In a keynote speech to the Asia Society Washington Center, the Chief Executive spoke about the major step towards democracy outlined in his political reform package released recently.
During the black-tie dinner, the Chief Executive was also presented with the Asia Society Leadership Award for his leading role in promoting stronger relations between the United States, Hong Kong, China and the rest of Asia.
Mr Tsang said such visits to major international partners as the US and Canada enhanced understanding of 'One Country, Two Systems', Hong Kong's current development and its special status as Asia's world city.
Mr Tsang flies out of the US tomorrow afternoon (New York time) and is due to arrive in Hong Kong on Sunday evening.
trips: CE (with photos)
******************************************************* The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, said today (October 28, Washington time) that his seven-day visit to North America had provided an excellent opportunity to engage a wide range of business and political leaders in friendly, frank and very useful discussions on Hong Kong's future prospects.
On the third and final day of his visit to Washington DC, Mr Tsang met Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and gave a luncheon briefing to the respected think-tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Throughout his visit to the US capital, political and economic developments dominated meetings which also included in-depth briefings to respected think tanks and lobby groups including The Brookings Institution, the Cato Institute, The Heritage Foundation and the Business Roundtable.
Other issues discussed in Washington were the WTO 6th Ministerial Conference to be held in Hong Kong in December, avian flu contingency plans, intellectual property rights protection and anti-terrorism measures.
"All of these subjects are close to the heart of Americans," Mr Tsang said.
"Overall, I believe I have completed my mission in Washington. I met as many think tanks, and as many people in business, in government and in Congress as possible within the time available.
"I think I have dispelled certain misunderstandings among them.
"And in fact I can see their excitement concerning the rapid economic recovery of Hong Kong. I'm sure it might lead to further investment and further exchanges between Hong Kong and the United States.
"On the whole, it was very busy, very occupied, but I think it was very worthwhile, it was all worthwhile."
Mr Tsang said that during his time in Washington he had very candid and frank exchanges on the question of political development in Hong Kong.
"Of course, we discussed constitutional development," he said.
"There have been different reactions, most of them very supportive of the measures we have taken to go forward in reaching universal suffrage.
"As far as the speed of democratisation is concerned, we have some positive support. For instance, yesterday Vice-President Cheney was very supportive and very positive.
"I also had a discussion with Secretary of State Rice on this matter.
"I agree entirely with her that we should quickly discuss the form of the legislature, the constitutional legislature, under the universal suffrage system. We hadn't seemed to be discussing this.
"I told her, I assured her, that we are pursuing this in the Commission for Strategic Development where there is a specific panel to pursue this."
Mr Tsang said he had done a lot of soul-searching, and put himself in the position of a Legislative Councillor who may oppose the political reform proposals.
He said that on reflection he could not find any rational reason why a Legislative Councillor should reject and oppose the recommendations of the reform package.
He also felt that his plans to nurture political talent at the district level, as outlined in his Policy Address, were the right direction to go in Hong Kong.
During a week-long visit, which also took in New York and Vancouver, Mr Tsang urged Canadian and US business to leverage Hong Kong's strengths in financial, logistics and legal services to develop business opportunities in Asia, particularly China.
In keynote speeches to a collective audience of well over 1,000 business leaders in Vancouver and New York, the Chief Executive outlined Hong Kong's strong economic performance, its competitive strengths and uniqueness in Asia, enhanced economic co-operation with the burgeoning Pearl River Delta area, and the enormous potential of the Pan-PRD economic grouping serving a market of 460 million.
In Washington DC, Mr Tsang explained a variety of issues, including the background and context of Hong Kong's constitutional development package to leading political figures including Vice-President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, House Speaker Denis Hastert, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, House Committee of International Relations chairman Henry Hyde, and Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dianne Feinstein.
In a keynote speech to the Asia Society Washington Center, the Chief Executive spoke about the major step towards democracy outlined in his political reform package released recently.
During the black-tie dinner, the Chief Executive was also presented with the Asia Society Leadership Award for his leading role in promoting stronger relations between the United States, Hong Kong, China and the rest of Asia.
Mr Tsang said such visits to major international partners as the US and Canada enhanced understanding of 'One Country, Two Systems', Hong Kong's current development and its special status as Asia's world city.
Mr Tsang flies out of the US tomorrow afternoon (New York time) and is due to arrive in Hong Kong on Sunday evening.
Ends/Saturday, October 29, 2005
Issued at HKT 12:19
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