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The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, will lead a business delegation to visit India from October 25 to 29. This is Mr Tsang's first official visit to India as Chief Executive.
His visit - to promote government and economic relations - will include two days in the capital city of New Delhi and two in the commercial hub of Mumbai. He will promote the advantages of Hong Kong as the prime fund-raising platform in the region, and highlight new opportunities arising from the growth of renminbi business in Hong Kong.
Mr Tsang will meet principal Indian Government officials and business leaders. In New Delhi, he will officiate at the opening ceremony of "Festive Hong Kong Week" organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board; speak at a luncheon with the technology sector co-organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and National Association of Software and Services Company; and address a business conference co-organised by Invest Hong Kong and Guangdong Province of Mainland China.
In Mumbai, Mr Tsang will officiate at the opening ceremony of "Lifestyle Expo in Mumbai" co-organised for the first time by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Guangdong Province. Moreover, the Chief Executive is scheduled to meet representatives from some of the most prominent business associations and conglomerates.
In his 2010-11 Policy Address, the Chief Executive said that the Government would enhance financial co-operation with Russia, India and other emerging markets to attract more large enterprises to list in Hong Kong and make use of Hong Kong's well-established financial and trading platform to expand their international business. Mr Tsang visited Russia in August this year.
"India and Hong Kong have always shared promising bilateral business relations. In the first eight months of 2010, the total trade between India and Hong Kong amounted to HK$94 billion, an increase of more than 40% over the same period last year. I hope that more Indian enterprises will expand their presence in Hong Kong and make use of Hong Kong as a base to expand into the huge market of Mainland China," Mr Tsang said.
The Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Raymond Tam; the Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce, Industry and Tourism), Miss Yvonne Choi; and the Director-General of Investment Promotion, Mr Simon Galpin, will also join the visit. The business delegation comprises over 30 delegates from major chambers of commerce and from different fields including financial services, legal services, information technology, infrastructure, energy and utilities, and trading.
Mr Tsang will return to Hong Kong on October 30. He will then depart for Shanghai on the same day to attend the closing events of Expo 2010 Shanghai China. He will return to Hong Kong on November 1.
During Mr Tsang's absence, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Henry Tang, will be the acting Chief Executive.
Ends/Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Issued at HKT 17:18
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