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Hong Kong, since its reunification with China in 1997, had on the one hand benefited from closer ties with the thriving Chinese economy, and on the other been playing significant roles in support of China¡¦s economic development, the Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore, Mr K K Lam, said today (July 31).
Mr Lam was speaking in Singapore at a forum entitled "Singapore and Hong Kong: Building Economic Synergies" to promote Hong Kong's role in bridging Mainland China and overseas, in particular the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.
Guest of honour was the Chinese Ambassador in Singapore Madam Zhang Xiaokang. The event was attended by more than 200 government officials, diplomats, leading businessmen, senior business executives, academics, analysts and media representatives. Some participants came from Malaysia and Indonesia.
Mr Lam said the current 11th Five-Year Plan of China stated clearly that China would continue to support the development of Hong Kong as an international hub of financial services, logistics, trade and tourism.
"As the China boom demands more services to support itself, Hong Kong is now in an unmatched position to cater for such a demand. As Chinese enterprises go global, Hong Kong has become the services gateway to China, as well as a two-way springboard for the flow of people, capital, goods and information between China and overseas,¡¨ he said.
Besides highlighting the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government¡¦s strong emphasis on promoting ties between ASEAN countries and the Pan-Pearl River Delta, Mr Lam said China had also implemented other initiatives that had benefited companies operating in Hong Kong.
Mr Lam said he looked forward to identifying more opportunities and platforms for Singapore and Hong Kong to collaborate and achieve win-win.
Under the chairmanship of acknowledged expert on the tripartite economic relations of China, Hong Kong and Singapore, Professor Wang Gungwu of the East Asian Institute in Singapore, four speakers from Hong Kong and Singapore shared their insights at the forum.
They were Director, Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong Professor Yeung Yue Man, Sun Hung Kai Properties Professor, School of Business, the University of Hong Kong Professor Michael Enright, Chief Executive Officer of the Eu Yan Sang Group in Singapore Mr Richard Eu, and Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong Mr Simon Galpin.
The two academics discussed the economic synergies between Singapore and Hong Kong, from the perspective of their respective areas of research.
Mr Eu, who is also President of the Hong Kong Singapore Business Association, shared his company's experience in tapping into the advantages provided by the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement to expand into the China market.
Mr Galpin, on the other hand, focused on how Singapore business could take advantage of the special role of Hong Kong, as well as the wide range of services offered by Invest Hong Kong.
The forum was co-organised by the HKETO in Singapore and the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry as one of the activities to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR.
The message that Hong Kong is a strategic gateway to Mainland China was underscored as participants viewed the display panels of the HKSAR 10th anniversary special exhibition. It showcased the successful implementation of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle, as well as the achievements of the HKSAR in areas such as economy, trade, tourism, culture, environmental protection and co-operation with the Mainland in the past 10 years.
Ends/Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Issued at HKT 21:52
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