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FOREIGN BANKS IN THE UNITED STATES. ITS FIRST OFFICE
WAS SET UP HERE IN 1875 - JUST TEN YEARS AFTER THE BANK
WAS FOUNDED IN HONG KONG. UNTIL THE MID-1970S, THE
BANK'S US OFFICES EXISTED MAINLY TO SERVICE REGIONAL
BUSINESS GENERATED FROM HONG KONG. WITH THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE AMERICAS
IN 1979, ITS US OPERATIONS HAVE GROWN SUBSTANTIALLY.
IT NOW HAS ITS OWN BANKING OFFICES IN EIGHT MAJOR
REGIONS IN THE UNITED STATES.
3.
THE OPENING OF THE NEW HEADQUARTERS TODAY NOT
IT IS ONLY REFLECTS THE GROWTH OF THE BANK ITSELF.
SYMBOLIC OF THE THRIVING ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL LINKS
BETWEEN THE US AND HONG KONG. IT PROVIDES IN
CONSEQUENCE AN APPROPRIATE OCCASION FOR ME TO SPEAK TO
YOU BRIEFLY ABOUT HONG KONG ITSELF, ABOUT ITS FUTURE
PROSPECTS, AND ON THE ADVANTAGES OF HONG KONG AS A PLACE FOR US COMPANIES TO DO BUSINESS, BOTH IN ITS OWN
RIGHT AND AS A CENTRE FOR THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION,
4.
THE LAST 35 YEARS HAVE SEEN HONG KONG'S
TRANSFORMATION FROM A RELATIVELY SMALL TRADING PORT ON
THE CHINA COAST INTO A THRIVING INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY AND
INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRE.
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