FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1994
GOVERNOR TO VISIT U.S. WEST COAST
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THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, WILL LEAVE HONG KONG TOMORROW (SATURDAY). FOR AN EIGHT-DAY VISIT TO LOS ANGELES, SAN FRANCISCO AND SEATTLE AS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S INITIATIVE то FURTHER STRENGTHEN ECONOMIC AND TRADING TIES WITH THE USA.
IT IS MR PATTEN'S FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO THE WEST COAST. HE WILL GIVE A SERIES OF SPEECHES, MEET SENIOR STATE AND CITY OFFICIALS, LEADING BUSINESSMEN, AND UNDERTAKE A RANGE OF MEDIA BRIEFINGS AND INTERVIEWS.
MR PATTEN WILL BE THE GUEST OF HONOUR AT FOUR MAJOR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS IN CALIFORNIA AND WASHINGTON STATE. THE HOST ORGANISATIONS
ARE:
THE LOS ANGELES WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL, HONG ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND ASIA SOCIETY;
KONG
THE ORANGE COUNTY WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL IN LOS ANGELES;
THE COMMONWEALTH CLUB OF CALIFORNIA, WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND HONG KONG ASSOCIATION OF NORTH CALIFORNIA, IN SAN FRANCISCO; AND
THE SEATTLE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL AND WASHINGTON COUNCIL OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE.
PATTEN MR
WILL ALSO MEET SENIOR BUSINESS LEADERS IN LOS ANGELES, SAN FRANCISCO AND SEATTLE, VISIT THE BOEING AIRCRAFT CENTRE IN SEATTLE AND TAKE PART IN A ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSION WITH ACADEMICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY.
HE WILL ATTEND EDITORIAL BOARDS OF THE MAJOR NEWSPAPERS IN EACH OF THE THREE CITIES, AND GIVE A NUMBER OF TELEVISION AND NEWSPAPER INTERVIEWS.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THE VISIT HAD BEEN PLANNED FOR SOME TIME AS PART OF THE GOVERNOR'S ON-GOING PROGRAMME OF OVERSEAS VISITS TO PROMOTE HONG KONG'S INTERESTS WITH HONG KONG'S MAJOR TRADING AND BUSINESS PARTNERS.
M
"IT IS IMPORTANT FOR HONG KONG TO MAINTAIN THE MOMENTUM OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL VISITS BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MRS ANSON CHAN,
AND NEW YORK LAST APRIL WHEN SHE LOBBIED FOR WASHINGTON D.C. RENEWAL OF CHINA'S MFN STATUS AND WHICH SHE FOLLOWED UP BY LEADING EQUALLY SUCCESSFUL HONG KONG PROMOTION TO NEW
YORK, CHICAGO ATLANTA LAST MONTH, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
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"THE UNITED STATES IS HONG KONG'S BIGGEST TRADING PARTNER AFTER CHINA. LAST YEAR TOTAL TRADE WITH AMERICA WAS WORTH BILLION, AND ONE- FIFTH OF THAT WAS WITH CALIFORNIA. U.S. IN HONG KONG AT THE END OF 1993 WAS ESTIMATED AT US$10.5 BILLION.
SOME
US$41 INVESTMENT
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