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Trade between the US and Hong Kong has continued to grow, registering double-digit growth in 2013 over 2012's figure, showing the ever-growing business ties between the country and Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA, Mr Clement Leung, said at a spring reception held by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York (HKETONY) today (February 4, New York time).
In his first public address since assuming his post, Mr Leung said his priority is to deepen the close economic and trade ties between Hong Kong and the US. Noting the recent ranking of Hong Kong as the world's freest economy by the US-based Heritage Foundation for the 20th consecutive year, he highlighted the strengths of the city under the "One Country, Two Systems" principle that enable it to capture the opportunities of the growth of Mainland China's economy while preserving its unique identity featuring the rule of law, an independent judiciary, free markets and protection of civil liberties.
For the first 11 months in 2013, US exports to Hong Kong increased by 17.5 per cent over those in the same period of 2012, reaching US$39 billion. (The full-year 2013 trade figures have not yet been made available by the US government.) This compares favourably with the export growth from 2011 to 2012, when exports rose by a mere 3 per cent.
"The US is our second largest trading partner after the Mainland. We were the 10th largest export destination for the US in 2012. I look forward to broadening and deepening our economic and trade ties with the US, and identifying new opportunities and areas for co-operation that will benefit both our economies," he told the reception guests.
Also speaking at the reception, the Director of HKETONY, Miss Anita Chan, highlighted the growing trade ties between Hong Kong and New York State. In 2012, New York exported more than US$8 billion worth of goods to Hong Kong, making Hong Kong the second largest trading partner of New York, trailing only Canada.
"The statistics for the first 11 months of 2013 showed that exports from the New York state to Hong Kong have grown by an impressive 17 per cent over the same period in 2012. We are therefore confident that the annual trade figures will again be record-breaking," she noted. The exports from New York State to Hong Kong in 2012 rose by 9.7 per cent over 2011's figure.
"As the world's ninth largest trading entity and a city with over 54 million tourists last year, Hong Kong is definitely ready and able to help you export more," Miss Chan said.
During the reception to usher in the Year of the Horse, a group of Hong Kong musicians of Collegium Musicum Hong Kong (CMHK), led by its Music Director, Professor Johnny Poon, gave a special performance of the Chinese festive folk music piece "A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix". The music group will stage its Chinese New Year concert at Carnegie Hall on February 6. Professor Poon is the head of the Department of Music of the Hong Kong Baptist University as well as the founder of CMHK.
The Spring Reception invitation card, featuring the theme "Year of the Horse", was specially created by New York-based illustrator and painter Kam Mak, who was born in Hong Kong and emigrated to the US at about 10. Mr Mak has been commissioned by the US Postal Service to design the Lunar New Year stamp series since 2008.
Close to 350 guests, mainly comprising key members of the business, government, academic and media sectors, attended the reception in New York.
Ends/Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Issued at HKT 12:45
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