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The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mrs Rita Lau, leading the Hong Kong, China delegation, will leave for Geneva, Switzerland on Sunday night (November 29) to attend the Seventh Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The Ministerial Conference will be held from Monday to Wednesday (November 30 to December 2), with the theme "The WTO, the Multilateral Trading System and the Current Global Economic Environment". Ministers or representatives from 153 Members of the WTO will review the operation of the multilateral trading system, and discuss how the WTO can make a further contribution to global recovery, growth and development. Ministers will also review the progress made on the Doha Development Agenda negotiations.
While in Geneva, Mrs Lau will take the opportunity to meet her ministerial counterparts to exchange views on how best to move forward the Doha Round negotiations to a successful conclusion and on issues of mutual interest. She will also host a reception for a group of Ministers attending the Ministerial Conference.
The Hong Kong, China delegation will include the Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to the WTO, Mr Martin Glass, and representatives from the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Geneva and the Trade and Industry Department.
Mrs Lau will return to Hong Kong next Thursday morning (December 3).
Ends/Friday, November 27, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:02
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