The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, today (May 4) met with senior officials of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) while attending the 51st ADB Annual Meeting in Manila, the Philippines.
 
     Mr Chan held separate meetings with the Vice-President of the ADB, Mr Zhang Wencai, and the Executive Director of the ADB, Mr Cheng Zhijun, as well as the Alternate Executive Director of the ADB, Mr Scott Dawson, who represents Hong Kong's constituency on the ADB Board of Directors. They exchanged views on the economic prospects of Asia, and how Hong Kong can make good use of its strengths as an international financial centre to further collaborate with the ADB in areas such as project investment and financing.
 
     Earlier today, Mr Chan paid a courtesy call on the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the Philippines, Mr Zhao Jianhua, and attended a business luncheon hosted by the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. He updated the participants on the latest economic situation of Hong Kong. He remarked that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will play a more active role as a facilitator and promoter to stimulate diversified economic growth, and to enable different sectors to capitalise on the major opportunities presented by the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area development.
 
     In addition, Mr Chan met with the Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Finance of India, Mr Subhash Chandra Garg, who also attended the ADB Annual Meeting, to discuss items of mutual interest.
 
     Tomorrow (May 5), Mr Chan will meet with the President of the ADB, Mr Takehiko Nakao, and attend the meeting of ADB Board of Governors.

Ends/Friday, May 4, 2018
Issued at HKT 19:50

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