Press Release - August 18, 2003

The Director of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Canada)(HKETO), Mrs. Rosanna Ure, left Canada yesterday (August 17) after three years' service as the principal representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in Canada.

She will proceed on end-of-term leave in Scotland before returning to Hong Kong in mid-September to take up a new post.

Mrs. Ure said yesterday before her departure that her fruitful three-year term owed a lot to the unfailing support given by all friends of the HKETO in the federal, provincial and city governments, local communities and in the media.

"Their support has enabled the HKETO to break new grounds and maximize the impact of our efforts to promote Hong Kong despite the challenge brought about by cost-cutting and productivity enhancement measures," She said.

"For their support, I want to thank all of them most sincerely."

Mrs. Ure said she was glad to leave the HKETO and its dedicated staff at the time when Hong Kong is bouncing back from the SARS fallout and is moving ahead on the international and domestic fronts to relaunch its economy.

"As the hub of the fast-developing Pearl River Delta Region in China, Hong Kong is well placed and well recognized as the pre-eminent gateway for foreign businesses to enter the China market. This recognition is fully reflected by the increasing interest of Canadian companies in Hong Kong," Mrs. Ure said.

She expected stronger growth in the number of overseas companies setting up offices in Hong Kong in the years ahead to capitalize on the benefits that Hong Kong companies will enjoy under the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement with China.

The ETO Director said: "I will hand over the important task of promoting Hong Kong's business opportunities and interests in Canada to my successor. I wish him every success in his future endeavours."

Mrs. Ure will be replaced by Mr. Bassanio So, Principal Assistant Secretary of the Constitutional Affairs Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, on September 16.

Mr. So joined the Administrative Service of the Hong Kong Government in 1991. Having served in various positions in the Security Branch, Industry Department, Kowloon City District Office and Finance Branch, Mr. So has good experience in promoting Hong Kong overseas with his posting in the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels between 1995 and 1998.

After Mrs. Ure's departure, the HKETO Deputy Director, Mr. Kenneth Cheng, has assumed as Acting Director before Mr. So arrives to take up his post.

For more information, please contact:

John Tam, Chief Information Officer of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office at: (416) 924-5544 or e-mail: [email protected] or Elison Chu, Senior Information Officer, [email protected].