With the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) lifting the travel advisory on Hong Kong Thursday, there is
now double safety guarantee for doing business and holidaying here.
Hong Kong's Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology Henry
Tang's earlier made assertive remarks at the Legislative Council
recently that Hong Kong would not easily give up in the battle to
win businesses even in the midst of the battle against severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS). Hong Kong is finally seeing a new
dawn, as both the World Health Organization (WHO) andthe CDC have
doubly restored confidence for the international community and
travelers to resume their normal contact with Hong Kong.
It
is true that the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (TDC) has
recently revised Hong Kong's export growth rate down to 3.3 percent
from the original 4 percent, but rebound is forecast to bein the
final quarter of this year.
But still, how soon a stronger rebound can be achieved is really a
matter the international business community can help in deciding,
as TDC Chief Economist Edward Leung has said, "Resumption of
traveling by overseas buyers, coupled with the renewed marketing
efforts of Hong Kong suppliers, should bode wellfor Hong Kong's
exports."
The fallouts of the SARS outbreak, albeit detrimental, could have
been worse. But thanks to the foreign business communities here,
who have all along been supporting Hong Kong and pledging their
unceasing commitment.
The British Chamber of Commerce and the Australian Chamber of
Commerce have been so kind as to reassure the Hong Kong business
community recently that ever since the cancellation of the WHO
travel advisory on May 23, British and Australian businessmen are
gradually returning to Hong Kong within a short period to resume
their long established businesses.
Chairman of the Australian Chamber of Commerce Alan Johnson's
remarks made on a public occasion recently were particularly
encouraging. He said he has every confidence that Hong Kong will
continue to be a major international financial center.
Johnson said many Australian businesses have been here for decades
long, and have weathered periodic difficulties throughout.And
perhaps one reason for the Australian companies to have chosenHong
Kong is, as he said, Hong Kong possesses business professionals who
are "highly flexible and adaptable."
From the point of view of the business environment, he highlighted
the fact that Hong Kong continues to enjoy freedom of speech and
possesses a well-established economic system. He said that with
China's entry into the World Trade Organization, he believes Hong
Kong will succeed in exploring new opportunities by becoming a
platform via which overseas businessmen conduct their businesses
with the Chinese mainland.
"Although SARS has caused some losses to certain Australian firms,
but like certain firms, they have been in Hong Kong for more than
30 years, they won't easily give up and pull out just because the
temporal SARS outbreak," he said.
John Pilbeam, acting Australian consul-general in Hong Kong, has
even openly called on the Australian businesses to continue
grabbing opportunities here.
While overseas businesses have been so supportive of the Hong Kong
economy, the Hong Kong government is working hard to re-launch the
Hong Kong economy, while citizens are encouraged to return to the
normal level of consumption and lifestyle.
Hong Kong's Financial Secretary Antony Leung has successfully
applied to the Legislative Council here for one billion Hong Kong
dollars (128.2 million US dollars) for his plan to relaunch the
economy and rebuild public confidence. Such a plan includes
launching a series of promotion activities and the screening of
TVcommercials to heighten Hong Kong's image and tourist confidence,
as well as informing overseas markets about concessionary travel
packages on offer through printed materials.
To
tell the world that Hong Kong is a business hub for both overseas
and mainland companies in the next five years, the council has just
approved an additional 200 million Hong Kong dollars (256,410.3 US
dollars) to this end.
But for now, just as Hong Kong's Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa said
Thursday, with the CDC's and WHO's recognition of Hong
Kong'ssuccess in containing SARS, "we (Hong Kong people) must
continue to be vigilant in our recovery efforts. We remain
committed to combating the virus and safeguarding the public's
health while making Hong Kong a favored international
destination."
(Xinhua News Agency June 6, 2003)
