Hong Kong's Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology Joseph Wong said Wednesday the government and the Trade Development Council are considering the need for expanding Hong Kong's exhibition facilities, including a third phase for the Convention & Exhibition Center.

He told lawmakers the government has been monitoring demand for exhibition infrastructure and has taken measures to maintain Hong Kong's position as an international convention center.

It invested 2 billion HK dollars (US$256.4 million) to develop AsiaWorld-Expo, which has already hosted more than 40 events and activities since its 2005 opening, more than 90 percent of them being held in Hong Kong for the first time.

The government is liaising with AsiaWorld-Expo on the early start of its second phase, which will increase its exhibition space to 100,000 square meters.

For the Convention & Exhibition Center, Wong said the expanded atrium link between Phases 1 and 2 will be completed in 2009. The work will add 19,400 square meters of exhibition space, boosting the venue's total dedicated exhibition space by 42 percent.

Wong said last month's ITU Telecom World event boosted Hong Kong's economy by 900 million HK dollars (US$115.4 million).

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2007)