COMMUNICATIONS, THE MEDIA AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
360
The Financial Secretary visited London in September. He met the Minister of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Mr John Battle, the Governor of the Bank of England, Sir Eddie George, the Chairman of the Financial Services Authority, Mr Howard Davies, and other leading figures in the business and finance communities. He also delivered keynote speeches at two luncheons, one hosted by the Hong Kong Association and the other by the HKTDC.
From London, Mr Tsang led a delegation of businessmen to Hungary and Poland before attending the International Monetary Fund/World Bank Group Boards of Governors Annual Meeting 2000 in the Czech Republic capital, Prague, where he also met government leaders. His visit was organised by the London HKETO.
In Budapest, Mr Tsang met a number of senior officials and leading figures in the business community, including the Minister of Finance, Mr Zsigmond Jarai, and banking and stock exchange heads. In Warsaw, he met the Minister of Finance, Mr Jaroslaw Bauc, and business leaders. While in both capitals, he gave keynote speeches at luncheons hosted by the HKTDC.
During the year, various government officials led promotional delegations to the United Kingdom. In April, Mrs Jessie Ting, then Deputy Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting, visited London and Brighton as the head of an IT mission. The Hong Kong: Your Strategic Partner for the Internet Age mission met leading figures in the IT industries during its tour, which also included Stockholm in Sweden. In August, the Director-General of Investment Promotion, Mr Mike Rowse, visited the UK to attend a naming ceremony in Southampton for the yacht Spirit of Hong Kong.
In June, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Anson Chan, led a high-level delegation to promote Hong Kong in Germany and the Netherlands visiting Berlin, Hamburg, Amsterdam and The Hague, and she also made an official visit to Belgium. Mrs Chan started her tour in Brussels with an audience with Crown Prince Philippe and a meeting with the Foreign Minister, Mr Louis Michel.
In Berlin, Mrs Chan met the Federal President, Mr Johannes Rau, the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Mr Eberhard Diepgen, and other governmental and political leaders. As part of the Hong Kong Promotion, Mrs Chan attended a gala dinner and addressed a business luncheon organised by the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business, the HKTDC and the Brussels HKETO. She officiated at the opening of the Hong Kong Architecture Exhibition, the Hong Kong-Berlin Cultural Exchange organised by the Hong Kong Tourist Association, and the Hong Kong Food Week. In Hamburg, Mrs Chan attended a breakfast meeting with the Association of Hamburg Port Operators and had a round-table discussion with members of the Institute of Asian Affairs.
In Amsterdam and The Hague, Mrs Chan met a number of senior officials and political leaders, including the Minister of Foreign Trade, Mr Gerrit Ybema, and the President of the Dutch Senate, Mr Korthals Altes. As part of the Hong Kong Promotion in Amsterdam, Mrs Chan gave a keynote address at a business luncheon organised by the Netherlands Foreign Trade Agency, and officiated at the opening of the Hong Kong Architecture Exhibition. Mrs Chan then returned to Brussels for a meeting with the European Parliament (EP) Committee on Foreign Affairs and a dinner hosted by the EP-HK Friendship Group. She also called on the European Commission President, Mr Romano Prodi, the Commissioner for Justice and Home
Page 420Page 421