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Following is the transcript of remarks (English portion) by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Stephen Lam, at Boao, Hainan today (April 1):
Chief Secretary for Administration: It has been 10 years since the Boao Forum was established, Hong Kong has participated throughout this last decade. In the meantime, both our country and Hong Kong had progressed economically, and in all the respect, the GDP of our country has grown from being ranked sixth in the world to the second place throughout the world. As far as Hong Kong is concerned, we have overcome the Asian financial crisis and SARS which happened about 10 years ago. Hong Kong's GDP per capita has grown from over USD24,000 per person, to over USD34,000. It is very necessary for Hong Kong to grasp the opportunities which we have and to make the best possible use of the free trade arrangements we have with the Mainland to develop as an offshore Renminbi service centre. And we've got very good conditions for doing so. It is very useful that the Government and representatives of the commercial and professional sectors had come to other places, such as Boao, to promote Hong Kong and connect with other personalities among the world. We should continue to do so.
The Hong Kong Government is firmly committed to maintaining the fine and well established tradition of clean and uncorrupt government. Our law treats everybody equally regardless of the ranks of public officials suspected of having committed any offence. As far as we concern, we recognise that Hong Kong community has a strong wish to maintain clean governance in Hong Kong and we should do everything we can in our abilities to preserve this principle.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Sunday, April 1, 2012
Issued at HKT 19:31
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