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The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Washington DC today (June 26, Washington time) hosted a reception to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The reception was attended by senior officials of the US Federal Administration, Members of Congress and their staff, representatives of diplomatic corps, think-tanks, academic, business and media communities.
Addressing the guests, Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA, Miss Margaret Fong, said Hong Kong had sustained its dynamism and continued its upward trajectory as an international centre for finance, trade, tourism and logistics in its new role as a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.
The Commissioner said the novel idea of "One Country, Two Systems" had come to embody the reality of Hong Kong's high-degree of autonomy and preserve the rights and freedoms cherished by the people of Hong Kong.
"Civil liberties remain inextricably woven into economic liberties - with our commitment to the rule of law the common thread running through them," she said.
Miss Fong said Hong Kong's relationship with the US stood as one of the greatest testaments of confidence in the integrity of Hong Kong's economic, social and legal systems.
"At the end of 2005, US inward direct investment in Hong Kong amounted to US$26.5 billion. In addition, the US maintains the largest number of regional operations in the city among our trading partners."
As part of the festivities, Master Wai Shui Kwan, a face changing master, gave a performance of the art of "face-changing". Master Wai changed 40 different faces and four different outfits in just 15 minutes.
The guests were also treated to a preview of a TV series, "Inside Hong Kong", specially made to mark the 10th anniversary, featuring various aspects of Hong Kong. The four-part programme will be aired on local television channels in Washington DC and San Francisco later this year.
Tonight's event is the first of a series of receptions in the United States to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Miss Fong will attend the receptions in New York and San Francisco to be hosted by the Economic and Trade Offices in the two cities on Wednesday (June 27) and Thursday (June 28) respectively to celebrate the special occasion with local business, academic, political and media contacts.
Ends/Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Issued at HKT 12:00
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