SCED to attend WTO Informal Ministerial Gathering in Switzerland

     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, will leave Hong Kong in the early hours on January 22 for a duty visit to Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Trade Organization (WTO) Informal Ministerial Gathering and meetings and events held during the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting.
 
     Mr Yau will speak at a panel discussion entitled "Building the Belt and Road and sharing the benefits of the economic globalisation" at the Belt and Road Forum hosted by Tsinghua University, International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission, United Nations Industrial Development Organization and United Nations Institute for Training and Research, and co-organised by the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau. 
 
     Mr Yau will meet with other trade ministers and business leaders attending the WTO Informal Ministerial Gathering or WEF to discuss issues relating to forging closer economic and trade ties. He will also join part of the visit programme of the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam.
 
     Held on the margins of the WEF on January 25, the WTO Informal Ministerial Gathering provides a timely opportunity for participating ministers to exchange views on the latest global trade developments and discuss ways to advance the trade agenda and to preserve the relevance and credibility of the multilateral trading system.
 
     Before the Informal Ministerial Gathering, Mr Yau will attend the Informal Ministerial Meeting on Electronic Commerce to explore with other ministers on how WTO negotiations can capture opportunities offered by electronic commerce for all WTO Members.
 
     Mr Yau will return to Hong Kong on January 26. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, will be the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development.