Chief Executive Donald Tsang was very much impressed yesterday
by the Financial Street and Dashanzi 798 Art Zone during his
three-day duty visit to Beijing - his first visit to the capital
after the 17th Congress of the Communist Party of China.
Tsang, who arrived in the city in the morning yesterday, was
greeted at the airport by Chen Zuoer, deputy director of the Hong
Kong and Macao Affairs Office.
As Tsang marveled at the modern buildings in Beijing's financial
district, he also showed great admiration for the city's creative
industry. The CE said Hong Kong's proposed West Kowloon Cultural
District could borrow their ideas and experience.
In the afternoon, Tsang called on a number of financial
officials and Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan.
During the meeting with Wu Xiaoling, deputy governor of the
People's Bank of China, he discussed the 'through train'
arrangement for mainland people to invest in the Hong Kong stock
market. After the meeting, Tsang quoted the deputy governor as
saying that Premier Wen Jiabao had made a decision and the
arrangement would take effects after policy measures were
rationalized. However, no timetable was given.
Tsang later called on Wu Dingfu, chairman of China Insurance
Regulatory Commission as both financial institutions are located in
Beijing's famous Financial Street. At the meeting, Wu said Hong
Kong's economic and financial development was growing robustly
under Tsang's leadership.
He also said the Financial Street has been developing very fast
in recent years. Not only is it the home to the five major
financial institutions and ministries (the other three are: China
Banking Regulatory Commission, China Securities Regulatory
Commission and National Council for Social Security Fund), it is
also the rendezvous of the headquarters of such State enterprises
as the Bank of China, China Mobile and China Telecom and
Netcom.
"The Financial Street is the heart of China's financial
policies," said Wu. "As it is neatly planned, it has a better
environment than the central business district in the east of the
city."
Tsang said Beijing has undergone very rapid changes and the
country's overall economic development is very good. He also
welcomed the launch of provisional regulations on mainland
insurance companies investing in offshore destinations and hoped
they would select Hong Kong as their first choice destination and
expected Beijing and Hong Kong could enhance mutual exchanges and
manpower training.
Earlier, Tsang went to the Dashanzi Art District and stayed
there for about half an hour. He marveled at the artists'
creativity in transforming old factory houses into cultural hubs,
as well as the bizarre, avant-garde collections. He further said
Hong Kong's upcoming West Kowloon Cultural District could be
modeled on part of the facilities of the art district.
In the evening, Tsang paid a courtesy visit to Beijing Mayor
Wang Qishan. Calling the Dashanzi Art District as a perfect example
of vitalization of old districts, he proposed to borrow state-class
antique items for exhibition in Hong Kong to enhance Hong Kong
people's knowledge of history.
Talking about the equestrian event of the Beijing Olympic Games,
Wang said the trial held in Hong Kong in the summer was successful
and it showed the central government had made the right decision
for Hong Kong to host the equestrian event.
Wang further said the Beijing-Hong Kong cooperation seminar held
in the capital earlier this month was very successful, while the
scope of mutual cooperation is getting wider and wider.
(China Daily November 22, 2007)