Press Release - November 8, 2004

Hong Kong�s competitive advantages, its strengths as Asia�s world city, and its outstanding infrastructures are some of the attractive factors that lure Canadian trade delegations � including the recent Team Mississauga, and the Manitoba Trade Mission -- to Hong Kong for business opportunities.

Led by Mayor Hazel McCallion, the advance party of the 12-member �Team Mississauga � Mission to Hong Kong� left Toronto for Hong Kong this (Monday) morning with a long sourcing list and initial proposals for collaboration with Hong Kong businesses.

The larger 30-member �Manitoba Trade Mission to China and Hong Kong�, led by the Deputy Premier of Manitoba, the Hon. Rosanne Wowchuk, set off to Hong Kong last Friday, trying to ride on the �first wave� to establish business connections there. The mission is supported by the Hong Kong Canada Business Association in Winnipeg. Both delegations will attend the annual Hong Kong Forum and the World Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Expo to be held next week.

Organized by the Mississauga Board of Trade and Mississauga Board of Chinese Professionals & Businesses, and supported by the Mississauga Economic Development Office, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, and Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the �Team Mississauga� is Mayor Hazel McCallion�s first official visit to Hong Kong. �I�m excited to go to Hong Kong, the gateway to China, with this group of outstanding business people in Mississauga. We�ll explore business opportunities in Hong Kong, and try to gain faster access into the China market through Hong Kong,� she said.

The Mississauga delegation will stay in Hong Kong until November 18. Members of both delegations will network and conduct business discussions with SMEs from Hong Kong, China and other parts of the world. They will also explore joint venture opportunities with their counterparts in Hong Kong.


For further information, please contact Stephen Siu, Assistant Director (Public Relations) at (416)924-5544, email [email protected] or Elison Chu, Senior Information Officer, [email protected]

Photo shows the Assistant Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Canada), Mr Stephen Siu (2nd left), on behalf of the HKETO, sending off at the Toronto Airport the leaders of the �Team Mississauga� - Mayor Hazel McCallion (2nd right); the Director of Economic Development, City of Mississauga , Mr Larry Petovello (left); and the Director of Mississauga Board of Trade, Mr Andre Mak (right) this (Monday) morning.

Before her departure to Hong Kong this (Monday) morning, a local television station took the opportunity to interview Mayor Hazel McCallion at the airport about Team Mississauga�s Mission to Hong Kong. Standing next to the Mayor are Mr Andre Mak, the Director of the Mississauga Board of Trade and Mr Larry Petovello, Director of Mississauga�s Economic Development Office.

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