ENG-1999 — Page 395

COMMUNICATIONS, THE MEDIA AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

dinner attended by Finnish officials, businessmen and journalists on the potential of Hong Kong as the IT centre for Asia and encouraged Finnish businessmen to use Hong Kong as a launching pad for the wider China market.

The Secretary for Economic Services, Mr Ip, led a delegation of Port and Maritime Board members to the Netherlands in September. The purpose was to promote the Hong Kong shipping register and to introduce to the airport and port authorities in the Netherlands the development of Hong Kong as a logistics centre. They met the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Economic Affairs, Mrs Anne-Marie Jorritsma; the Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, Mrs Tineke Netelenbos; and the Mayor of Rotterdam, Mr Ivo Willem Opstelten.

The Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Joseph Wong, visited Stockholm in September to look at the experience of Sweden in the teaching of English and the use of IT in education. He met the Minister for Higher Education, Mr Thomas Ostros, and visited two local schools. He also addressed a luncheon and spoke at a seminar organised by the Swedish Institute of International Affairs.

The Deputy Director of Intellectual Property, Mr Peter Cheung, visited Copenhagen, Vienna, Amsterdam and Frankfurt in September to explain the separate intellectual property regime maintained in the HKSAR after reunification with the Mainland. The Director of Immigration, Mr Lee, visited Brussels at the invitation of the Belgian Ministry of Interior in October. Taking the opportunity, he also travelled to Helsinki, Vienna, Paris, Berlin, Madrid and The Hague and met senior officials from the respective Ministries of the Interior and the relevant authorities responsible for immigration and visa matters. During his visit, he explained to his interlocutors the integrity and high standard of the immigration control in Hong Kong under the 'one country, two systems' principle and lobbied for visa-free access for HKSAR passport holders.

The Commissioner for Customs and Excise, Mr Tsang, visited Brussels in June and December for the meetings of the World Customs Organisation. During his visit in December, Mr Tsang delivered a luncheon speech on Hong Kong as a separate customs region. The Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Mr Alan Lai, visited Milan in November and at a luncheon spoke on anti-corruption action in Hong Kong.

Other activities organised by the Brussels ETO included investment promotion seminars in Madrid, Milan and Copenhagen and a seminar in Antwerp to promote Hong Kong as a logistics hub.

Israel

The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, led a delegation of senior government officials and businessmen to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in the week straddling January and February. During the visit, he met the President of the State of Israel, Mr Ezer Weizman; the then Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his Cabinet, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Ariel Sharon and Minister of Industry and Trade Mr Natan Sharansky, and the Governor of the Bank of Israel, Prof Ya'acov Frenkel. Mr Tung gave updates on developments in Hong Kong, highlighting the smooth transition and latest initiatives to develop the SAR as an IT and hi-tech centre in Asia. He also visited some hi-tech companies, research institutions and technology incubators to learn about the development of hi-tech industries in Israel.

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