CE begins visit to Myanmar (with photos/video)
**********************************************
Mrs Lam met with the State Counsellor, Union Minister in the President's Office and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in the morning. Mrs Lam said that this is the first ever official visit by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) since the HKSAR's establishment 20 years ago and Myanmar is the third country of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) she visited after assumption of office some two months ago.
Given that Hong Kong and ASEAN are important trading partners and that Hong Kong and ASEAN have concluded the negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement and a related Investment Agreement recently, the relationship between Hong Kong and Myanmar would become even closer. Noting that Hong Kong and Myanmar can strengthen co-operation in various aspects, she said she hoped to work with the Myanmar Government to promote economic development in and the connection of the people from the two places.
Mrs Lam then met with the Vice President of Myanmar, U Myint Swe, and attended a lunch hosted by him. During the day, she also met with the Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism, U Ohn Maung; the Union Minister for Commerce, Dr Than Myint; and the Union Minister for Planning and Finance, U Kyaw Win.
During the meetings, she said that the HKSAR Government attaches great importance to promoting Hong Kong's external affairs, and that the second Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in ASEAN was set up in Jakarta, Indonesia last month. In addition to trade and investment, the Government is keen to promote co-operation with ASEAN countries in various areas, including tourism, culture and education. Noting that there is strong growth in the bilateral trade between Hong Kong and Myanmar in recent years and that many Hong Kong business people are expanding their investment in Myanmar, she expressed the hope that more room for co-operation will be explored through this visit. She said that as both Hong Kong and ASEAN are along the Belt and Road, Hong Kong, Myanmar and other ASEAN countries can seize together the opportunities arising from the Belt and Road Initiative and explore more business opportunities.
Mrs Lam was accompanied by the Director-General of the HKETO in Jakarta, Mrs Do Pang Wai-yee and the Director of the HKETO in Singapore, Mr Bruno Luk in Myanmar.
Mrs Lam departed for Yangon in the evening to continue her visit to Myanmar tomorrow (September 16).
Ends/Friday, September 15, 2017
Issued at HKT 20:18
Issued at HKT 20:18
NNNN
Photo
