Hong Kong's status as an international financial, trade,
logistics, information and service hub can help promote central
China's growth, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region (HKSAR) Donald Tsang said on Thursday.
Tsang attended the Central China Business Summit 2007 held in
Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province. According to news from
the Information Services Department of HKSAR, Tsang said in the
summit that Hong Kong has invested about US$300 billion in the
Chinese mainland's economic development so far, and set up more
than 130,000 enterprises.
He said Hong Kong, as a highly open and international city, can
play a role in investment promotion. The city's expertise in
financial services can also help the Chinese mainland enterprises
boost their corporate governance and raise funds.
"As we speak the same language, this can facilitate business
exchanges. As we are within the same time zone, the risk caused by
time differences is also lowered," Tsang added.
More than 370 mainland companies have listed in Hong Kong with
US$193 billion raised, accounting for more than 30 percent of the
listed companies,
Noting Hong Kong is a multi-functional international service
center with the service industry as the economy's main pillar,
Tsang said expanding Hong Kong-Mainland co-operation in
professional services can effectively bring central China into
global trade and tourism markets.
"We should first fully implement the Chinese mainland and Hong
Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement in the Pan-Pearl River
Delta Region. This will be conducive to aiding Hong Kong service
providers to enter central China," he added.
Tsang encouraged enterprises in central China to make full use
of Hong Kong's strengths and facilities to expand their businesses
and investments. They can also use Hong Kong as a platform to
develop international businesses.
(Xinhua News Agency April 27, 2007)