The Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr Henry Tang, to promote IT and telecommunications advancement of Hong Kong

The Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr Henry Tang, will leave tomorrow (September 3) for a seven-day visit to the United States and Canada.

It will be his first overseas visit as Principal Official of the HKSAR.Mr Tang will lead a business delegation to attend the Softworld 2002, an international IT conference and exhibition held annually in Canada. Before attending the conference, Mr Tang will make a brief visit to Washington to meet with his counterparts.

In Washington, Mr Tang will call on the US Trade Representative, Mr Bob Zoellick, Commerce Secretary, Don Evans and the Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs, Mr Alan Larson. He will also be meeting other key interlocutors from the government, think tanks and business bodies. . He will update them on the trade opportunities in Hong Kong with China's accession to the WTO and Hong Kong's close economic relations with the Mainland, particularly the Pearl River Delta.

Mr Tang will then lead a Hong Kong IT delegation to attend the international software conference and exhibition, Softworld 2002, in Prince Edward Island, Canada. The delegation comprise representatives from the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Government.

Mr Tang will give a presentation in the Softworld Conference and deliver keynote speeches at luncheon and dinner receptions organised by the Canadian business and technology associations, HKTDC and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office. He will update the Canadian business leaders and the ICT industry on the latest development of IT and telecommunications in Hong Kong and what Hong Kong can offer to Canadian ICT companies in terms of investment and partnership opportunities in the Asia Pacific.

During his stay, Mr Tang will have bilateral meetings with Canada's Minister of Industry, Mr Allan Rock and the Ontario Minister of Enterprise, Opportunities and Innovation, Mr Jim Flaherty.

To encourage Hong Kong talents overseas to return to work in Hong Kong, Mr Tang will also take the opportunity to brief students in the University of Waterloo on the latest ICT development and opportunities in Hong Kong.

Mr Tang will return to Hong Kong from Toronto on Wednesday, September 11.

Monday, September 2, 2002

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