Source: Xinhuanet
06-29-2007 14:30
Special Report: HK 10 YearsThe Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office celebrated the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland at a reception in Singapore Thursday.
Ten years after Hong Kong's return to the motherland, "Hong Kong is alive and kicking, growing from strength to strength," said K.K. Lam, director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore, while speaking at the reception.
In 2006, Hong Kong's total external trade hit 641.8 billion U.S. dollars, almost twice the figure of 372.3 billion U.S. dollars in 1997. Its gross domestic product (GDP) per capita has also risen to 27,600 U.S. dollars, despite the fact that during the decade Hong Kong had to weather many major events: Asian financial crisis, avian flu, negative equity of property, high unemployment and SARS epidemic, according to Lam.
He said, "What really makes Hong Kong tick is the success of the 'one country, two systems' concept."
The concept, as enshrined in the Basic Law, has ensured that a high degree of autonomy, rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people, a free market economy, and Hong Kong's legal system have been preserved, he added.
Return to the motherland means Hong Kong is now better placed than ever to provide support for China's rapid economic development, through leveraging its status as an international hub for financial services, logistics, trade and tourism, Lam said.
About 200 political, business and Chinese community leaders, including Chinese Ambassador to Singapore Zhang Xiaokang, Senior Minister of State of Singapore's Foreign Ministry Balaji Sadasivan, attended the reception.
Students of the Hong Kong Academy performed music and dances at the reception, while exhibition panels on Hong Kong were displayed.
Editor:Chen Ge
