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New HKETO Director to Promote Hong Kong in ASEAN Countries

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New HKETO Director to Promote Hong Kong in ASEAN Countries HONG KONG ECONOMIC & TRADE OFFICE • SINGAPORE FilesFiles FEBRUARY 2002 ISSUE • MITA (P) 297/09/2001 New HKETO Director to promote Hong Kong in ASEAN countries THE Hong Kong Economic and Trade rule of law, a clean and accountable Office (HKETO) would strive to its administration, the free flow of captial, uttermost to maintain and foster the close information and ideas, a level playing tie between Hong Kong and ASEAN field would continue to provide the countries in trade, business and culture, basis of Hong Kong’s success in the Mr Rex Chang, Director of HKETO in future. While Hong Kong’s strategic Singapore, said at a welcoming reception location with China as its hinterland, in January. low and simple taxes, world- class Mr Chang said, “ ASEAN, taken as a transport and communication group, is Hong Kong’s third largest infrastructure, concentration of top market for domestic exports, re-exports flight financial and business service and source of imports. It is also the Mr Rex Chang, Director of Hong Kong Economic providers had all worked out to make fourth largest trading partner of Hong and Trade Office, addressing at the reception. Hong Kong the Asia’s World City. Kong. Five of the ASEAN countries, Over 200 guests including diplomats, namely Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, enhance the understanding of Hong government officials, senior business the Philippines and Indonesia, are Kong in the region. Mr Chang added that executives and representatives from the among the top 20 trading partners of Hong Kong welcomed more investment media and community organisations Hong Kong.” from the region. attended the reception to welcome Mr He stressed that HKETO would Mr Chang also highlighted that Chang who took up the director post in continue to promote Hong Kong and Hong Kong’s foundation stones of the November, 2001. N Regional headquarters in HK hit record high THE number of regional He commented, “The survey operations set up by foreign- Number of Regional Headquarters shows Hong Kong is again owned companies in Hong Kong and Regional Offices in 2001 topping the charts as the reached a record high of 3,237 preferred hub and living up to its on June 1, 2001, representing a 2500 role as Asia’s world city.” 7.9 per cent increase over 2000, “With China’s accession to according to the 2001 Annual 2000 WTO, Hong Kong’s status as the Survey of Regional Offices 1500 preferred location for regional Representing Overseas headquarters for multinationals Companies in Hong Kong. 1000 will be strengthened further,” Mr The total number of regional 500 Rowse added. headquarters in 2001 rose from Companies considered low 0 855 in 2000 to 944, an increase 2000 2001 2000 2001 and simple tax system as the of 10.4 per cent, and the highest Regional Regional most important factor in Headquarters Offices ever. choosing the location for setting The total number of regional 2001 Annual Survey of Regional Offices Representing Overseas Companies in Hong Kong up regional representation. offices rose by 6.8 per cent from Other important factors included 2,146 in 2000 to 2,293 in 2001 — the site for regional headquarters. free flow of information, political another all-time high figure. “More and more multinationals stability and security, corruption free The Director-General of (MNCs) are flocking to set up government, and communication, Investment Promotion at Invest Hong beachheads in Hong Kong, taking transport and other infrastructure. Kong, Mr Mike Rowse, said, “Since its advantage of the territory’s competitive Mr Rowse said Hong Kong would inception 16 months ago, InvestHK advantages over other Asian cities, in continue working hard to retain its has seen a constant and rising particular, as a gateway to China,” Mr attractiveness as a place to do international interest in Hong Kong as Rowse said. business. N 2 Hong Kong remains the world’s freest economy HONG KONG has been rated great deal to our belief in a as the world’s freest economy free and market-oriented for the eighth consecutive year economy with minimum by the Heritage Foundation’s government involvement 2002 Index of Economic and fair competition. We Freedom. will continue to strongly In receiving the 2002 adhere to this belief because Index of Economic Freedom it served us well. Together from Mr Edwin Feulner, with the freedoms provided President of the Heritage for by the Basic Law, the Foundation, the Chief rule of law upheld by an Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, independent judiciary, a said that he was delighted the level playing field for Heritage Foundation had rated business, free flow of Hong Kong as the freest information, a clean and economy in the world for the efficient government, and eighth consecutive year, prudent management of signifying the confidence of government finance, it has the international community sustained Hong Kong’s in Hong Kong. continued prosperity and The Heritage Foundation The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, receiving the 2002 Index of Economic created our competitive continues to acknowledge Freedom from Mr Edwin Feulner, President of the Heritage Foundation. advantage today as an Hong Kong’s superb international centre for performance in the rule of law, recognises Hong Kong as one of the finance, trade, transport and logistics, upholding of non-intervention on world’s most accessible markets to and for tourism.” economic policies, effective external trade and foreign investment. The study covers 161 economies in enforcement of property rights, uniform The study also credits the the world. Hong Kong scores 1.35 on a and non-burdensome regulations on Government’s effort to promote greater best-to-worst scale of 1 to 5. The Index business, absence of trade barriers and civil servant accountability. ratings reflect an analysis of 50 low taxes. Mr Tung said, “Hong Kong’s economic indicators including banking The Heritage Foundation also remarkable success over the years owes a and finance and trade policy. N Hong Kong named host of top travel congress HONG KONG Tourism their interest in Board (HKTB) Executive packaging and Director Ms Clara Chong promoting Hong Kong to told over 200 executives their customers. Already, from travel companies Hong Kong commands worldwide along with the largest share of US global media guests at a outbound travel of any round-table gathering in destination in Asia.” early December that Hong Ms Chong added that Kong had won its bid to China’s accession to the host the annual World WTO and Beijing’s Travel Congress of the successful bid to host the American Society of Travel 2008 Olympics would Agents (ASTA) in 2004. bring an added boost to Ms Clara Chong, Executive Director, HKTB, signs a contract with Mr Richard Copland, ASTA is the world’s US-Hong Kong tourism. President and CEO, ASTA, for Hong Kong to host the ASTA Congress in 2004. largest and most prestigious “By 2004 when the ASTA association of travel professionals, honour for Hong Kong and I should like Congress takes place, these two boasting more than 26,000 members. to thank our industry partners, especially developments will be providing a great The 2004 World Travel Congress, to be the Hong Kong Hotels Association and number of new business opportunities held from 28 September to 3 October, the Hong Kong Convention and for overseas companies,” she observed. is expected to bring more than 5,000 Exhibition Centre, for their role in making “Hong Kong’s role as the premier delegates to Hong Kong, including our bid successful.” regional transport and thousands of US travel agents who will “ASTA’s decision to choose Hong communications hub will make it an have the opportunity to see the City of Kong is very important and timely for us, excellent base both for doing Life for themselves. Hong Kong last as it shows that the US travel trade has business in the Mainland and for hosted the event in 1965. long-term confidence in Hong Kong as a staging related conferences and Ms Chong said, “This is a great destination. This, in turn, will stimulate exhibitions,” said Ms Chong. 3 DITS promotes HKSAR IT strategy in e-ASEAN Government Congress HONG KONG has made great strides in the business community and the launched the award-winning Electronic building the necessary infrastructure industry.” Service Delivery (ESD) scheme through and putting in place the right The HKSARG is committed to which members of the public can environment for a buoyant e-culture leading by example in the use of obtain a wide variety of public services following the implementation of the e-business, both in conducting internal through the Internet and public “Digital 21” information technology (IT) business operations and in delivering information kiosks 24 hours a day and strategy. public services. seven days a week. The Director of Information “We have set up a dedicated E- Apart from continuing to roll out Technology Services, Mr Alan Wong government Co-ordination Office to drive more new ESD applications, the Chi-kong, said this at the e-ASEAN and co-ordinate e-government HKSARG has developed one of the Government Congress held in Bangkok, initiatives,” said Mr Wong, adding that world’s first web-based electronic at the end of November 2001. the HKSARG had also set the target of tendering system, which enables it to IT leaders in government bodies providing e-option for 90 per cent of issue tenders and receive bids securely from the ASEAN countries attended the public services amenable to the electronic via the Internet, further demonstrating congress to discuss IT policies and best mode of service delivery by end 2003. its dedication to promote the adoption practices.
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