Press Release - August 7, 2003

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Canada) (HKETO) will be staging its first-ever large-scale promotional event in Quebec City in mid-August, aiming at informing the city about Hong Kong�s excellent business opportunities.

The event will comprise a business seminar and a large-scale photo exhibition on Hong Kong�s infrastructure projects.

As the official representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, the HKETO will make use of the event to let the Quebec community know that Hong Kong is well on its way to recovery after the SARS outbreak and that it is moving ahead vigorously to relaunch its economy. The event entitled 'Hong Kong and Quebec City - Friendship and Partnership' is also part of the 'Relaunch Hong Kong' program organized by HKETO in Canada this year.

Supported by the Quebec City Government, the promotional event, comprising of a business seminar and 'Building a Dynamic Hong Kong' photo exhibition, also highlights the point that Hong Kong, as the world's freest economy and a vibrant and sophisticated international financial and business center, is the preferred destination for international companies which are planning to set up their regional offices and regional headquarters.

The promotional event will start with a business seminar entitled 'Hong Kong and Quebec City � Friendship and Partnership' on August 12 at 9:00 a.m. at the Salle du Conseil of the City Hall. The seminar will focus on the considerable business opportunities available in Hong Kong and China, in particular, the Pearl River Delta, and the advantages of partnering with Hong Kong to enter the China market.

Jointly hosted by the Director of the HKETO, Mrs. Rosanna Ure, and the Vice President of the Quebec City Executive Committee, Mr. Claude Larose, the seminar will also share with Quebec companies details of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), which was signed between the HKSAR and China in late June.

The signing of CEPA allows Hong Kong to expand its market access to Mainland China, ahead of China�s WTO�s timetable. Hong Kong companies will benefit from the opening-up and liberalization on the Mainland, in particular, in such areas as telecommunication, tourism and financial services. Mrs. Ure will also brief the Quebec companies how they could leverage on Hong Kong�s advantages under the framework of CEPA.

The seminar will be followed by a large-scale 'Building a Dynamic Hong Kong' photo exhibition, to be held from August 13 to 24 at the Centre de foires of the ExpoCit�.

The 12-day exhibition captures some of the core infrastructure projects Hong Kong has completed and opened since 1997 and reviews the HKSAR Government's major initiatives involving a total investment of CAD$120 billion on some 1,600 infrastructure projects over the coming decade. Planned large-scale projects include new railway lines and bridges, revitalization of urban and rural areas and new developments along the waterfront at West Kowloon, Southeast Kowloon, Central District and Wan Chai. All these will represent business opportunities for Canadian companies.

The photo exhibition will be opened by the Mayor of Quebec City, Mr. Jean-Paul L'Allier; the President of ExpoCit�, Mr. Claude Larose, and HKETO Director, Mrs. Rosanna Ure, together with other VIP guests on August 13 at 2:30 p.m.

For enquiries of the promotional event, please contact the Project Consultant, Mr. Jules Nadeau, at (514)354-2643 or (514)578-5151.


For further information, please contact John Tam, Chief Information Officer at (416)924-5544, email [email protected] or Elison Chu, Senior Information Officer, [email protected] or Jules Nadeau, Project Consultant at (514)354-2643 or email [email protected]