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The Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, Mr Stephen Lam, officiated at the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (ETO) in Chengdu today (February 5).
The Chengdu ETO covers the five provinces of Sichuan, Hunan, Yunnan, Guizhou and Shaanxi and the municipality of Chongqing.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Chengdu ETO, Mr Lam said, ¡°The establishment of Chengdu ETO is an important step taken forward by the HKSAR Government to strengthen economic ties between the Mainland and Hong Kong."
The Director of Chengdu ETO, Mr Richard Luk, said the opening of the new office means a big step forward in strengthening the cooperation between Central and Western regions of the Mainland and Hong Kong. It also provides supporting services to Hong Kong people investing in the Mainland.
Other officiating guests at today¡¯s opening ceremony were: Guo Yongxiang, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and Vice Governor of Sichuan Provincial People¡¯s Government; Zhao Gongqing, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of Chongqing Municipal People¡¯s Congress; Xi Yifang, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of Sichuan Provincial People¡¯s Congress; Wu Yue, Deputy General Secretary of Guizhou Provincial People¡¯s Government; Wu Pingguo, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of Chengdu Municipal People¡¯s Congress; Zhang Enchou,Vice Chairman of the CPPCC Chengdu Municipal Committee; Liu Qiang, Deputy Director of Liaison Department of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council; Ye Xingping, Deputy Director of Research Department of the Liaison Office of Central People¡¯s Government in Hong Kong; Zhou Hong, Director General of Yunnan Provincial Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office; He Ping, Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign (Hong Kong and Macao) Affairs of the Sichuan Province; Yang Chun E, Deputy Director General of Hunan Provincial Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office; Wang Chongmin, Deputy Director General of Shaanxi Provincial Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office.
For Mainland enterprises to better understand the advantages of Hong Kong¡¯s service industries, Chengdu ETO and Invest HK will co-organise a seminar tomorrow (February 6) on Hong Kong¡¯s competitive edge in financial services.
Other commemorative activities organised by Chengdu ETO included the HK Film Week which started yesterday (February 4) at Chengdu Zijing Cineplex. The activity introduced quality Hong Kong films to the local audience, to foster exchanges in popular culture and art between Hong Kong and the Mainland.
Chengdu ETO started operation on September 28, 2006, and moved into its permanent office at 38/F, Tower 1, Plaza Central, 8 Shuncheng Street, Chengdu on February 1. Its opening ceremony was held today.
Ends/Monday, February 5, 2007
Issued at HKT 23:09
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