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"We have worked hard for it. And we do not work just to please others," Mr Tsang said.
The Financial Secretary referred particularly to the work which the Government had carried out in preserving and enhancing the integrity of Hong Kong's trade control system in three areas - protection of intellectual property rights, strategic trade control · and action against illegal transhipment of textile products.
He said there had been questions about the Government's determination in this regard.
In response to these questions, Mr Tsang said: "In the current important period of Hong Kong's development, we simply cannot afford to let any doubt germinate and undercut the very foundation of our status as an international trade and financial
centre.
"I wish to say loud and clear that we are going the extra mile in exerting the rule of law. We are co-operating actively with our trading partners within the confines of our law, and we are taking vigorous enforcement to eradicate irregularities and malpractices.
"We know, more than anyone, how much free trade depends upon confidence and trust. And we can only build confidence and trust on well established enforcement regimes."
He went on to elaborate the work done in these three areas.
On protection of intellectual property rights, Mr Tsang said Hong Kong took very seriously its obligations under the World Trade Organisation Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and other treaties and conventions.
Apart from establishing and maintaining close contacts with IPR enforcement authorities in China and foreign enforcement authorities, he said territory-wide mega raids had also been conducted by customs officers to tackle the problem of intellectual property right infringement at retail level.
"We have enacted laws to empower customs officers to tackle organised syndicates that mastermind cross-border copyright piracy activities," he said.
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