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The following is the transcript of remarks (English portion) by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Henry Tang, at the meet-the-media session after the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Co-operation Conference today (December 18):
Reporter: Can you elaborate on what you see the benefits would be, especially in terms of the relationship of the airports between the two areas and the development of land in the border areas.
Chief Secretary for Administration: As far as Hong Kong and Shenzhen are concerned, there is a huge potential for us to achieve greater degree of co-operation and generate synergy in this whole process as an outcome. Look at it this way. Hong Kong and Shenzhen have a total population of about 20 million people, covering an area of about 3,200 square kilometres. If you think of London and Greater London, if you think of New York and Greater New York, you will find that they actually have many similarities, and Hong Kong-Shenzhen has those similarities. So the synergy lies in Greater New York's multiple airports that serve different needs, and Hong Kong and Shenzhen Airports have that potential. The Greater New York area has a number of sea ports involving New York and New Jersey and Greater New York so to speak. And again, Hong Kong has that potential. Indeed, many people who live in Manhattan actually go into upstate New York for weekends, for vacation. Some of them live there and come to New York to work. These are the kinds of potentials we are looking at. So, the meetings that we have been holding have been very constructive as well as very positive in the sense that we want to capitalise on this potential because we see a lot of upside gain to Hong Kong and Shenzhen's co-operation.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Issued at HKT 19:48
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