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The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, today (September 25) called on Hunan and Hong Kong entrepreneurs to develop co-operation with new thinking and new perceptions for mutual prosperity.
Speaking at the opening of the ¡§Hong Kong ¡V Hunan Business Co-operation Symposium¡¨, Mr Tsang said the structures of industries in the two places are highly complementary.
He noted that Hunan's abundant natural resources, together with its low costs of labour, water and power and land supplies, was extremely attractive to investment by Hong Kong manufacturers.
¡§On the other hand, Hong Kong is a mature services economy with an international business network and many talented professionals of world outlook. Hong Kong also has a tremendous production team in Guangdong. All this is conducive to co-operation on Hunan¡¦s second and third industries,¡¨ Mr Tsang said.
¡§Hong Kong is best known to entrepreneurs on the Mainland for its effective fund-raising platform. Our monetary markets play a pivotal role in the world, with our stock market being the eighth largest,¡¨ he said.
Mr Tsang also pointed out that about 70% of the world¡¦s 100 largest banks have set up branches in Hong Kong, ready to offer Mainland enterprises world-class financial services.
Mr Tsang said there was also large scope for co-operation between Hong Kong and Hunan on the development of overseas trade and brand names.
¡§Geographically, the respective strategic positions of Hunan and Hong Kong also offer unlimited business opportunities,¡¨ he said.
¡§Hong Kong is the southern gateway to the country with world-class infrastructure, diversified consumers and activities, international talents and business network. We can be the bridge-head for Hunan enterprises to enter overseas markets. We encourage Hunan enterprises to use Hong Kong as an economic and trading platform to develop overseas markets,¡¨ he said.
¡§On the other hand, Hunan is a vital transport hub in central China, linking the north with the south and connecting the east and the west. Hunan can help distribute Hong Kong products to many parts of the Mainland, thus helping to develop markets there, Mr Tsang said.
The symposium was organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council in conjunction with the Hunan Provincial Department of Commerce and the Changsha Municipal People¡¦s Government. It was attended by about 350 business leaders from Hong Kong and Hunan.
Later in the day, the Chief Executive also visited the gymnasium and trampoline training ground of the Hunan Sports Bureau. With a proud history in gymnastics, Hunan is the homeland of many ¡§sports superstars¡¨. Mr Tsang was greeted on arrival by Hunan athletes who won gold medals in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, including Xiong Ni, Yang Xia and Gong Zhichao.
Mr Tsang watched the athletes practising horizontal bar, parallel bars, pommel horses, rings, vaults, uneven bars, balance beams, floor exercises and trampoline.
In the afternoon, the delegation visited Jinxia Bonded Logistics Centre ¡V the first of its kind in Central China. Under construction on a 100-hectare site, the centre is designed to handle up to four million tonnes of cargo throughput every year.
Later in the afternoon, the Chief Executive and all delegation members were received by Vice Premier Wu Yi.
In the evening, the Chief Executive attended a dinner and the opening ceremony of Expo Central China 2006, followed by the ¡§Central Fangge¡¨ Cultural Show.
Ends/Monday, September 25, 2006
Issued at HKT 21:21
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