The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, in Dublin today (June 1, Dublin time) sought closer co-operation between Hong Kong and Ireland.

     On the second day of his visit, Mr Chan first attended a roundtable discussion with the Minister of State at the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform of Ireland, Mr Michael D'arcy and a group of key figures in Irish financial services, to discuss the latest development of green finance in both places.

     Mr Chan said that a number of measures were launched in the Budget this year to promote the development of green finance in Hong Kong, including a Government Green Bond Programme with a borrowing ceiling of $100 billion for funding green public works projects; and a Green Bond Grant Scheme to subsidise qualified green bond issuers in using the Green Finance Certification Scheme. He said that given the well-developed financial services in Ireland, there are clear synergies for Hong Kong and Ireland to work together in green finance.

     He then met with the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform of Ireland, Mr Paschal Donohoe, to exchange views on global and Europe's economic prospect. Both sides looked forward to further collaboration between Hong Kong and Ireland in financial services, trade and other sectors.

     In the afternoon, Mr Chan met with senior management of the National Treasury Management Agency and shared experience in management of public finances. Following this was a meeting with members of the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland as well as the Fintech & Payments Association of Ireland. Mr Chan said that Hong Kong strives to provide an enabling environment for developing innovation and technology and Fintech. In terms of payment system and infrastructure, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority will launch a Faster Payment System that allows banks and Stored Value Facility service providers to provide real-time, round-the-clock, cross-institution payment and fund transfer service to their business and personal customers.

     Earlier today, Mr Chan paid a courtesy call on Chinese Ambassador to Ireland, Dr Yue Xiaoyong.

     Concluding the visit to Dublin, Mr Chan will return to Hong Kong in the morning of June 3 (Hong Kong time).

Ends/Saturday, June 2, 2018
Issued at HKT 2:43

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