COMMUNICATIONS, THE MEDIA AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(HKETOS) in Washington, New York, San Francisco, Toronto, London, Brussels, Tokyo, Singapore and Sydney.
The Geneva HKETO deals with international trade issues under the World Trade Organisation. It also liaises with the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co- operation and Development. The office has moved into new premises which were officially opened by the Financial Secretary in May 1998.
The HKETOS (apart from Geneva) provide general news and information services, organise promotional activities, brief the media and produce press releases and newsletters for their different audiences. Information on Hong Kong is also made available through individual home pages on the Internet. The offices monitor media coverage and parliamentary and congressional debates on issues of interest to Hong Kong. They advise and assist the ISD in drawing up programmes for visitors to Hong Kong such as government officials, politicians, journalists and opinion formers. In conducting their various activities, the offices work closely with the overseas offices of organisations such as the Hong Kong Tourist Association and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.
Special Events
Europe
The Financial Secretary, Mr Donald Tsang, visited London in October and November. He met the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Gordon Brown, the Minister of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Mr John Battle, the Governor of the Bank of England, Mr Eddie George, the Chairman of the Financial Services Authority, Mr Howard Davies; and other leading figures in the business and finance community. He also addressed the Hong Kong Trade Development Council's annual dinner and the annual national conference of the Confederation of British Industry in Birmingham.
The London ETO also organised a visit for Mr Tsang to Oslo, Norway, in May, where he met Norwegian Government officials including the Minister of Finance and Customs, Mr Gudmund Restad, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Lars Sponheim, and the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Jarle Skjorestad. He also met officials from the Norges Bank (Norway's Central Bank) and the Banking, Insurance and Securities Commission.
From Norway, Mr Tsang went on to Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki, where his visit was organised by the Brussels ETO. In Copenhagen, he met the Minister of Economic Affairs, Ms Marianne Jelved; the Minister of Finance, Mr Mogens Lykketoft; the Minister for Development Co-operation in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Mr Poul Nielson, and the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Bank of Denmark, Mrs Bodil Andersen. In Stockholm, he met the Minister of Finance, Mr Bosse Ringholm; the Governor of the Bank of Sweden, Mr Urban Backstrom; and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Stockholm Stock Exchange, Mr Bengt Ryden. In Helsinki, he met the Finnish President, Mr Martti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari; the Minister for Foreign Trade in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Mr Kimmo Kalevi Immeri Sasi; the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr Sauli Vainamo Niinisto; the Governor of the Central Bank of Finland, Mr Matti Vanhala, and other senior government officials. He also met leading
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