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To celebrate the coming of 2015 and to refresh ties with friends and interlocutors, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Toronto (Toronto ETO) held an evening gala entitled "Hong Kong Reception" in Toronto today (January 20, Toronto time).
In her welcoming remarks, the Director of the Toronto ETO, Miss Gloria Lo, reviewed the achievements that Hong Kong had gained in various aspects over the year.
While assuring that Hong Kong will continue to enjoy its unique advantages under the "One Country, Two Systems" principle, Miss Lo also told the guests that Hong Kong has all along played its role as a reliable partner in the international community.
"The recent establishment of a framework to facilitate the conduct of dispute settlement proceedings administered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in Hong Kong, for example, is certainly a vote of international confidence in the city and its sound legal system," Miss Lo said.
The Host Country Agreement and the related Memorandum of Administrative Arrangements on the Conduct of Dispute Settlement Proceedings by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China were signed in Beijing earlier this month, making Hong Kong a new base for the PCA to enhance access to its services in Asia.
In the past 120 years or so, the PCA has been facilitating arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution amongst states.
Miss Lo also briefed the guests of the recent development in building up of an even closer economic relationship between Hong Kong and the Mainland and that includes, the launch of the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect and the signing of the Agreement between the Mainland and Hong Kong on Achieving Basic Liberalization of Trade in Services in Guangdong.
"All these developments are encouraging and the message that Hong Kong has continued to receive full support from the Central People's Government is clear," she added.
Miss Lo also gave a concise brief of the initiatives announced in the newly-released 2015 Policy Address, with a highlight on those over the land supply for commercial and economic purposes, support for technology start-up, innovation and technology development, the promotion of the creative and film industries and the development of the high value-added maritime services.
The guests were also told that a more proactive approach to recruit talent and professionals from outside Hong Kong would be adopted under which a pilot scheme would be implemented to attract the second generation of Chinese Hong Kong emigrants in the overseas to return to Hong Kong and, the stay arrangements for talent and entrepreneurs would also be relaxed .
"We are confident that all these measures will create more opportunities and further boost our economy," Miss Lo concluded.
She also gave a brief introduction of part of the Toronto ETO's work plan in the coming months which include, the organisation of a Hong Kong-Canada Chinese Theme Song Competition with the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association with an aim of underlining the close relations between Hong Kong and Canada. The guests were also told that joint Lunar New Year receptions with the Hong Kong Tourism Board would be held in Toronto and Vancouver as well to promote Hong Kong's tourism industry.
"A campaign of 'Think Asia Think Hong Kong' will be organised by Hong Kong Trade and Development Council (TDC) in Toronto this June and our office will also work closely with the TDC to make it a successful event," Miss Lo added.
A photo exhibition was also held at the reception at which 40 pictures showing the city's faces in different areas were shown to the guests.
More than 300 guests, among them government officials, representatives from the business community, academia and the media joined the reception.
Ends/Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Issued at HKT 00:32
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