ENG-2000 — Page 421

COMMUNICATIONS, THE MEDIA AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Affairs, Mr Antonio Vitorino, and the Commissioner for External Relations, Mr Christopher Patten.

The Brussels HKETO co-organised the Belasia Tourist Fair in February (an annual event to promote tourism to Asia), in which Hong Kong was chosen as the special guest region. The Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Communities officiated at the opening ceremony and encouraged participants to visit Hong Kong to get first-hand experience of the city.

At the invitation of the Berlin Government, the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr W K Lam, visited Berlin in July to officiate at the opening ceremony of the Festival of Vision - Hong Kong in Berlin. He also called on the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Mr Eberhard Diepgen, and met a number of officials and representatives of cultural organisations. The Director of Immigration, Mr Ambrose Lee, also visited Berlin, in September, for the negotiation of the Hong Kong-Germany readmission agreement with German officials.

Israel

The Financial Secretary visited Israel in May to gain first-hand knowledge on the country's success in the development of innovation and technology. During his visit, Mr Tsang attended a seminar and a briefing session organised by the office of the Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Dr Carmel Varenia, to learn how the Israeli Government provided assistance and support for business development. He also took part in a round-table discussion on the development of hi-tech industries in Israel. Mr Tsang visited the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Hebrew University, where the country's advances in basic science and technology began, and also had meetings with the Minister of Finance, Mr Avraham Shochat, and other officials.

Asia-Pacific

APEC Meetings

The Chief Executive attended the 8th APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in Brunei on November 15-16 at which the leaders reached agreement on urging the WTO to work towards holding another round of multilateral discussions in 2001. The meeting was preceded by the 12th APEC Ministerial Meeting, which was attended by the Secretary for Commerce and Industry, Mr Chau Tak Hay. The Secretary for Financial Services, Mr Stephen Ip, attended the APEC Finance Ministers Meeting there in September.

The Director-General of Trade and Industry, Mr Joshua Law, attended an APEC Senior Officials' Meeting in Brunei in February and afterwards went on to Singapore for meetings with senior officials and businessmen. The Deputy Secretary for Economic Services, Mr Alex Fong, led a delegation to attend the APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting in Singapore in March.

Mr Joseph Wong, then Secretary for Education and Manpower, attended the 2nd APEC Education Ministerial Meeting in Singapore in April and, before that, Mrs Fanny Law, then Director of Education, attended the Senior Education Officials Meeting. The Assistant Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, Mr Tony Lam, led a delegation to attend the 2nd APEC Youth Science Festival in Singapore in July.

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