Policy Address

20.         The Government will set up more offices in the Mainland.  When we open the ETO in Wuhan in the second quarter of this year, the Government will have a more comprehensive network in the Mainland, with bases at Shanghai in the east, Guangzhou in the south, Chengdu in the west, Beijing in the north and Wuhan in the central region.  The Government will set up more liaison units so that each Mainland office will be linked with one or two liaison units.  Two liaison units, one in the north under the Beijing Office and another in the east under the Shanghai ETO, will be set up this year and next year respectively.  Another liaison unit will be established in the central region some time after the Wuhan ETO has come into operation.

21.         The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) provides impetus for regional economic growth in East Asia.  With the support of the Central Government, Hong Kong has secured the ASEAN’s consent to commence formal negotiations for a Hong Kong-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement early this year.  Hong Kong has proposed a scope of negotiations and will actively follow up on the issue.

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