ENG-2001 — Page 437

COMMUNICATIONS, THE MEDIA AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Hong Kong's Image Overseas

The Government's overseas public relations efforts are directed mainly at Hong Kong's major business partners in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. They are carried out through the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (HKETOS) in Washington, New York, San Francisco, Toronto, London, Brussels, Tokyo, Singapore and Sydney.

The Geneva HKETO deals with international trade issues under the World Trade Organisation. It also liaises with the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The HKETOs (apart from Geneva) provide general news and information services, organise promotional activities, brief the media and produce press releases and newsletters for their different audiences. Information on Hong Kong is also made available through individual home pages on the Internet. The offices monitor media coverage and parliamentary and congressional debates on issues of interest to Hong Kong. They advise and assist the ISD in drawing up programmes for visitors to Hong Kong such as government officials, politicians, journalists and opinion-formers. In conducting their various activities, the offices work closely with the overseas offices of organisations such as the Hong Kong Tourism Board and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

Special Events

North America

The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, visited Washington DC in July, updating top officials in the new U.S. Administration and congressional leaders on latest developments in Hong Kong.

Mr Tung met President George W. Bush at the White House, and had a meeting with the Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell. He also had talks with the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Mr John Kerry; the Chairman of the House Rules Committee, Mr David Dreier; and Congressman Doug Bereuter. A Deputy Secretary of State, Mr Richard Armitage, hosted a lunch in honour of Mr Tung.

In his meetings, Mr Tung emphasised the HKSAR Government's commitment to upholding the 'one country, two systems' principle, the rule of law and the freedoms guaranteed in the Basic Law. In addition, he briefed the leaders on how Hong Kong was recovering from the effects of the Asian financial crisis. He also expressed appreciation of President Bush's intention to extend Normal Trade Relations status for China for another year, and welcomed the United States' support of China's early accession to the World Trade Organisation.

Visiting San Francisco later, the Chief Executive took the opportunity to meet members of the city's large Chinese community, and also to issue a statement, on behalf of the HKSAR, congratulating the people of the Mainland on Beijing's successful bid to stage the 2008 Olympic Games.

The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Donald Tsang, visited the United States in September, on his first overseas duty visit since taking up the post in May. He began his visit in Los Angeles, and then moving on to New York and Washington DC. In Washington, Mr Tsang met the Secretary of State, Mr Powell, shortly after

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