The first ever Hong Kong-Canada Trade Mission opened Friday,
attracting 53 delegates from 40 Canadian companies and
organizations to Hong Kong to explore business opportunities.
The trade mission includes briefings and workshops as well as
networking opportunities with prospective business partners in Hong
Kong and a side trip to southern China to see how Hong Kong-owned
companies are run there.
Addressing the delegates at the opening of the one-day conference
at the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Center, Secretary for
Commerce, Industry and Technology Henry Tang said he was very much
encouraged by the excellent turnout.
"Your presence tells me that you all recognize the business
potential that Hong Kong possesses as a fast track to the Chinese
mainland at a time when the economy of the latter is poised to grow
even faster following China's accession to the World Trade
Organization," he said.
Joining Tang at the conference were Canadian Secretary of
State(Asia Pacific) David Kilgour and the Alberta Minister of
Economic Development Mark Norris.
Secretary Kilgour echoed Tang's viewpoint by saying that "Hong
Kong, the high-tech node for traders and bankers, is also the
services center for Southern China and has been ranked by the
Fraser Institute as the freest economy in the world.
"At the mouth of the Pearl River, its location makes it the
entrepot of choice for businesses with their eyes on Southern
China," according to Kilgour.
With an unrivaled location and a sophisticated business
environment, Hong Kong is uniquely suited to put Canadian
businesses on the fast track to China, he added.
Extending warm greeting on behalf of the Alberta provincial
government of Canada, Minister Norris said Hong Kong and Alberta
had strong ties and for more than 20 years, the Alberta office in
Hong Kong had connected business people and investors from Hong
Kong and Alberta. These helped contribute to the fact that Alberta
businesses exported 100 million Canadian dollars worth of goods and
services to Hong Kong last year.
Among the 40 participating companies, 16 come from British
Columbia, 13 from Ontario, seven from Alberta, with the rest from
other areas including three from Hong Kong.
(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2002)