A high-level advisory group to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government has outlined a strategic framework to make Hong Kong Asia's World City as well as a major city in China.

Known as the Commission for Strategic Development, the group comprises a total of 14 SAR Government officials, business leaders and the academia. It is chaired by the Chief Executive, Mr. Tung Chee Hwa.

The framework, which was released for public discussion during a seminar on Monday (Hong Kong time), believes that Hong Kong must strengthen its link with the Mainland, enhance its competitiveness, improve its quality of life and reinforce its identity and image if it is to realise its long-term vision.

The Commission also believes that there are seven key industry sectors and focus areas that will support Hong Kong's positioning as Asia's World City.

They include financial and business services; attracting and retaining the regional headquarters of multinational corporations; tourism; information services and telecommunications; innovation and technology; trade, transportation and logistics, as well as creative and cultural activities.

Speaking at the opening of the seminar, Mr. Tung said that in trying to become Asia's World City, as New York is for America's and London for Europe's, Hong Kong was not just trying to pursue a catchy title. "The fact is that the per capita income of these cities are amongst the highest in their respective countries, and the objective of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government must be to continue the creation of wealth for all our citizens. But if we genuinely aspire to become Asia's World City, we need to meet a number of long term goals."

These are:

• continue to be outstandingly successful in economic terms, ranking as one of the most prosperous cities in the world;
• achieve recognition over the next generation as the most attractive city in Asia in which to live and work;
• maintain a socially cohesive and stable society, increasingly affluent and well educated, proud of our Chinese heritage, and at the same time assimilate the best cultures and values of the East and West;
• continue to contribute to China's prosperity and long-term development;
• ensure that the process of political development meets the needs and aspirations of the community and is in line with the pace and provisions outlined in the Basic Law;
• retain and further enhance those distinctive features which have been critical to Hong Kong's vitality and success.