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The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, today (June 3) continued his two-day study tour in Guangxi, attending the "Hong Kong?Guangxi Business Cooperation Symposium" at the International Convention Centre, Li Yuan Resort, with a delegation of government officials and Hong Kong business leaders.
Jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the Investment Promotion Bureau of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the Department of Commerce of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the symposium has helped to facilitate in-depth exchange between the two sides on economic co-operation.
Addressing the symposium, Mr Tsang said Guangxi was a good option for Hong Kong businessmen who were looking for trade partners and opportunities, adding that businessmen of the two places were living at the two ends of Pearl River.
He pointed out that Hong Kong was Guangxi's third largest export market, while Hong Kong was also the largest external investor in Guangxi, accounting for about half its total external investment. With the recent extension of the "Individual Visit Scheme" to Nanning, trade ties between Hong Kong and Guangxi would be further strengthened.
Mr Tsang said the geographical and economical background of Guangxi and Hong Kong meant there were rooms for co-operation. Both places are located on the seafront, with coastal edge. The Hong Kong port had been fully developed and built up with a global network. Its shipping sector had the experience and technology to support the Guangxi port in its upgrading process.
Mr Tsang then visited the Guangxi University, where he was briefed by the university's President, Professor Tang Jiliang, on the university's contributions to Guangxi's social developments.
Chatting with some 30 students at the university's campus, Mr Tsang said human resource is almost the only resource of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong SAR government has placed special emphasis on education and has invested heavily in education to nurture talent for our knowledge-based society. He hoped students in Hong Kong and Nanning could have more interaction and exchanges. Mr Tsang also encouraged students to come and work in Hong Kong.
Delegation members then attended a luncheon hosted by the Hong Kong Government. He said Guangxi's edge in its location, rich natural resources and numerous development plans would offer investment opportunities for capital from Hong Kong; while Hong Kong's outstanding financial and professional services, with a wide international network, would help Guangxi enterprises to grow and its economy to reach its full potential.
The delegation visited Fangchenggang City in the afternoon, and was briefed by Mayor of the city's Municipal Government, Dr. Chen Qiuhua on the Development Scheme on the Beibu Bay Economic Zone (Guangxi Coast).
The Beibu Bay Economic Zone is an important gateway to the sea in southwestern China, and a bridge facilitating the full co-operation between China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Fangchenggang is a deepwater port at the southwest tip of the Mainland's coastline, with an annual throughput reaching 16 million tonnes.
Mr Tsang said Guangxi was the most convenient sea access in the southwestern part of the Mainland. He believed with the capital and logistics expertise from Hong Kong, its port and logistics sector would be enhanced.
The delegation then toured the ports, and visited the Greatocean Oils & Grains Industries (Fangchenggang) Co., Ltd., a large-scale and a leading food processing base.
The Chief Executive and the delegation later attended a dinner hosted by the Nanning Municipal Government. Mr Tsang thanked the government leaders for arranging a fruitful tour for the delegation.
He said that after the two-day study tour, delegation members had a more comprehensive knowledge on the economic situation, business environment, investment opportunities and the future development of Guangxi, adding this was an important step towards a closer co-operation between the two places.
Mr Tsang will leave for Kunming, Yunnan province, tomorrow (June 4) to attend the "Third Pan-PRD Regional Co-operation and Development Forum" which begins on Monday (June 5).
Ends/Saturday, June 3, 2006
Issued at HKT 22:13
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