Since the handover, Hong Kong’s integration with the Mainland China progressed at a tremendous rate. This year has seen the beginning of a new era of cooperation with the Mainland with the signing of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). Projects such as the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and the policy on individual tourism from the Mainland will further enhance Hong Kong’s position.

With CEPA, the position of Hong Kong as a major player in the global market as well as a platform for international investors to do business with China will be reinforced. CEPA further opens up new dimensions for Hong Kong based companies and strengthens the economic integration of the Pearl River Delta. As Asia’s World City, Hong Kong needs to consolidate its position and make the necessary structural changes to retain its status as the regions’ leading financial and logistics centre, professional service hub and a preferred tourist destination.

The Hong Kong Management Association`s 2003 Annual Conference presents a good opportunity for perceptive commentators and successful businessmen from different sectors to discuss how Hong Kong can leverage on its advantages to develop a new Hong Kong Economy and how Hong Kong firms can capitalize on this unique relationship to stay competitive and continue to act as a bridge between the Mainland and the rest of the world.

The Conference will examine the topic in three sections:

• Role of Hong Kong from an International Perspective
• Role of Hong Kong from China’s Perspective
• Looking ahead: Building on Our Strengths

Details of the HKMA Annual Conference are as follow:

Date: Monday, 10 November 2003

Time: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Venue: Theatre II Level 2, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre

Fee: HK$ 1,900 (For HKMA Members) HK$ 2,100 (Non-members)

Language: English

Eminent speakers and their presentations are as follows:

l Keynote Speech by The Hon John C Tsang JP, Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region

l "Hong Kong: The Virtual Hub for a Very Real Business" by Mr Takayoshi Oshima, Executive Chairman, Allied Telesis Group

l "Hong Kong and International Business - Will the Love Affair Continue?" by Mr James E Thompson, Chairman, Crown Worldwide Group

l "Capturing Capital Flow - Hong Kong`s Role from an International Perspective" by Mr Frank Wong Kwong Sing OBE, Vice Chairman and Director, DBS Bank Ltd and Chairman, DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd

l “Actively Developing Closer Economic Partnership Relation Between Mainland and HK” by Dr Li Zhaoxi, Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Director, Enterprise Research Institute, Development Research Centre of the State Council

l "Partnering for the Future- Role of Hong Kong from China`s Perspective" by Dr Louis Cheung, Group President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd

l Mr George Leung, Chief Economist, Greater China, HSBC

l Mrs Grace Lee, Deputy Executive Director, Hong Kong Tourism Board

l "Hong Kong Film Industry - From Then to Now and What Next?" by Mr Thomas Chung, Managing Director, Han Entertainment Limited

l “Hong Kong Manufacturing Industry: Some Views Going Forward” by Mr Henry Wu, Director, Business Plus Consultants Limited

l "Concentrating on What We Do Best" by The Hon Bernard Charnwut Chan JP, Member, Legislative Council, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

l The Hon C Y Leung GBS JP, Chairman, DTZ Debenham Tie Leung

l "Hong Kong as the World`s Asia Hub" by Professor Edward K Y Chen GBS JP, President, Lingnan University

For registration and enquiries, please contact Ms Sonia Lee on 2774 8507 or Ms Jolie Lau on 2774 8567. For more details and enquiries, please visit the website of the Association at: www.hkma.org.hk

Members of the Annual Conference Organizing Committee this year include:

Mr Allan Aw, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers Ltd (Chairman); Mr Kennedy Liu, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers Ltd; Mr Carl Tong, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Creative Master Group; Mr Alec Tsui Yiu Wa, Chief Executive, WAG Financial Services Group Ltd; and Mr Carson Wen JP, Partner, Chairman, China Practice, Heller Erhman White & McAuliffe.

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Issued by The Hong Kong Management Association on 21 October 2003.

For press enquiries, please contact Ms Titania Woo (Tel: 2774 8580 / Email: titaniawoo@hkma.org.hk) or Ms Sunnie Ma (Tel: 2774 8581 / Email: sunniema@hkma.org.hk)