The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Sydney (Sydney ETO) hosted a reception in Auckland, New Zealand, today (August 2) to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
Addressing the reception in a virtual speech, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, shared that with the unique advantages of "one country, two systems" and the unwavering support of the Central Government, Hong Kong has grown and prospered as Asia's leading world-class city and will actively integrate into the country's overall development, seizing the immense opportunities under the National 14th Five-Year Plan.
"We would consolidate our competitive edge and reinforce Hong Kong's status as an international finance, transportation, trading and legal centre, and strive to fully develop our four emerging strengths – innovation and technology, aviation and intellectual property trading, as well as enhancing our position as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange," Mr Yau said.
On the long-standing relationship between Hong Kong and New Zealand, Mr Yau noted that New Zealand is the first foreign economy that Hong Kong entered into a free trade agreement with. The total merchandise trade between Hong Kong and New Zealand amounted to NZD2 billion in 2021, representing a growth of 10.7 per cent over 2020 despite the pandemic. Mr Yau added that Hong Kong looks forward to joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement to pursue further economic advancement with its members, including New Zealand.
The Director of the Sydney ETO, Miss Trista Lim, said in her welcoming remarks that the theme of the 25th anniversary, "A New Era – Stability • Prosperity • Opportunity", captures Hong Kong's exemplary achievements and the strong confidence in a promising future, underpinned by the principle of "one country, two systems". Miss Lim looks forward to telling more good stories of Hong Kong in the years to come.
"There will be many more exciting stories ahead of us as we continue to leverage our unique strengths, maintain an international outlook and connect ever more closely with our motherland," Miss Lim added.
The reception was the major event of the Sydney ETO in New Zealand to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR. Over 130 guests from various sectors including political and business circles, media, academic and community groups as well as government representatives attended the reception. Among them were the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Niue, Dr Wang Xiaolong, and the Consul-General of the People's Republic of China in Auckland, Mr Ruan Ping. To showcase Hong Kong's popular culture, a singing performance was staged at the reception.
For details on other celebration events of the Sydney ETO, please visit www.hketosydney.gov.hk/eng/25A/celebrationevents.html.
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