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The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, led a delegation of government officials and local business leaders to Jiangxi this morning (January 19) on a three-day study tour of the province.
The 130-strong delegation comprises members from various business sectors, with 120 representatives from garment and textiles, electronics and electrical appliances, toys, watches and clocks, machinery manufacturing, air and sea transport industries, infrastructure, travel, logistics, financial and other professional services industries.
Mr Tsang and the delegation began their visit with a guided tour of Nanchang Urban Planning Exhibition Hall. Jiangxi officials briefed them on the growth of the province, the comprehensive planning of the city Nanchang, and its future development.
In the afternoon, the delegation visited three enterprises in Nanchang.
Their first stop was Consummate Technology Co. Ltd., a foreign investment company in Nanchang Economic-Technology Development Area. The delegation toured the production plant and exchanged views with the senior management to gain a better understanding of the business environment of Nanchang as a base for manufacturing industries, including cost and the supply of electricity, labour and professional personnel.
The delegation then headed to Nanchang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone. They visited a large state-owned company, Jiangxi Copper Corporation, whose joint-stock company has been listed both in Hong Kong and Shanghai. They were given an overview of the development of heavy industry in the province and how Jiangxi enterprises could make use of the capital-raising and professional services platform of Hong Kong to enter the overseas market.
The delegation also visited Tellhow Sci-Tech Co. Ltd. in Nanchang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone to learn about the city's potential for high value-added and high-tech industries. The company is a joint corporation of Jiangxi Province and Tsinghua University.
In the evening, the Chief Executive and the delegation met provincial leaders, including the Secretary of the CPC Jiangxi Provincial Committee, Mr Meng Jianzhu, and attended a welcoming dinner hosted by the Jiangxi Provincial Government.
Both parties reaffirmed that the economic structure of Hong Kong and Jiangxi were highly complementary and the two places would continue to cooperate on a number of fronts.
Mr Tsang said the development of Jiangxi corresponded with the trend of local businesses moving factories to the hinterland. He said Hong Kong would continue to make use of the Pan Pearl River Delta Region platform, our international network and professional services to help Jiangxi's development in the globalised world.
The delegation will take part in the Hong Kong ﷿ Jiangxi Business Co-operation Symposium and a tourism symposium organised by the Jiangxi Provincial Government and visit Jiujiang City tomorrow (January 20).
Government officials joining the visit include the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr Joseph Wong and the Permanent Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, Mrs Cherry Tse.
Ends/Friday, January 19, 2007
Issued at HKT 19:28
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