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The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Professor K C Chan, today (March 4, Washington time) started a five-day visit to the United States and Canada to promote Hong Kong as an international financial centre.
Professor Chan met the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve System, Mr Ben Bernanke, in Washington today and updated him on the latest economic situation in Hong Kong.
He also called on the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Mr Dominique Strauss-Kahn, and the Executive Director of the Chinese delegation to the IMF, Mr He Jianxiong.
Before concluding his visit to Washington, Professor Chan met the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Ms Mary Schapiro.
On March 5 in New York, he will meet the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Mr William Dudley, and the Associate Director, Financial Institutions, and Head of Emerging Markets Finance of the World Economic Forum, Mr James Bilodeau. He will also speak at the New York Stock Exchange.
On March 7, Professor Chan will arrive in Toronto, Canada, and deliver a speech at a gala dinner of the Confederation of Greater Toronto Chinese Business Association.
The next day, he will address a seminar on Listing and Capital Raising in Hong Kong for Mining and Natural Resources Companies at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Conference. In the afternoon, Professor Chan will call on the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Security Commission, Mr David Wilson.
Before ending his visit to Canada, he will speak at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
Professor Chan will return to Hong Kong on March 10.
Ends/Friday, March 5, 2010
Issued at HKT 11:33
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