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In response to a media report today which alleged that the Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, made use of his attendance at a tourism promotion event held by the Hong Kong Tourism Board in San Francisco in 2003 to visit his son, the Chief Executive's Office today (March 1) issued the following clarification:
Mr Tsang (being the Chief Secretary for Administration in 2003) departed for the United States on September 16, 2003, on an official visit to promote Hong Kong's role as an international business hub and the ideal strategic partner for accessing the Mainland market. During the visit, he attended a series of official functions in New York, Washington and San Francisco.
Arriving in San Francisco on the evening of September 19 (Friday), he attended 10 official events in the San Francisco Bay Area, as follows:
(1) Meeting with the Consul General of the People's Republic of China in San Francisco, Mr Wang Yunxiang;
(2) Meeting with the Chairman and members of the Committee of 100;
(3) Meeting with the editorial board of the San Jose Mercury News, a local newspaper;
(4) Meeting with the CEO of Cisco Systems, Mr John Chambers;
(5) Giving a keynote speech, "Hong Kong and California: The Winning Combination", at a business luncheon in San Jose;
(6) Meeting with the Mayor of San Francisco, Mr Willie Lewis Brown;
(7) Meeting with the Pacific Council on International Policy, a local think tank;
(8) Officiating at the Hong Kong Tourism Board's "Hong Kong - Live it. Love it!";
(9) Meeting with former Secretary of State of the United States Dr George Shultz;
(10) Giving an interview to the San Francisco Chronicle, a major local newspaper.
The Chief Executive's Office expresses regret about the paper's allegation that "Mr Tsang's whereabouts in San Francisco were unknown most of the time, except for his appearance at the two promotion events", which is totally groundless.
Besides, Mr Tsang confirmed that he did not "call up Ms Clara Chong Ming-wah to indicate his intention to use the visit to see his son (Mr Thomas Tsang Hing-shun), who was studying in the United States, and instruct her to organise an additional promotion event in San Francisco", as alleged in the newspaper report.
During Mr Tsang's stay in San Francisco, Mr Thomas Tsang Hing-shun travelled from Silicon Valley to San Francisco to see his father. They met in their private time.
The Chief Executive's Office received the enquiry from the newspaper concerned yesterday afternoon (February 29). As the visit took place nearly nine years ago, and given the time difference between Hong Kong and San Francisco, it was not until very early this morning that the Chief Executive's Office could verify the information with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco. This clarification has been made immediately after verifying the facts.
Ends/Thursday, March 1, 2012
Issued at HKT 18:52
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