The Better Hong Kong Foundation (“the Foundation”) sent its annual delegation to the United States from 17th to 24th June this year. The delegation paid visits to important leaders from the US government, Congress, academia, business, media, think tanks and related NGOs in Washington D.C. and New York, to update them about Hong Kong’s recent development and economic outlook.
This year’s delegation was led by The Foundation’s Executive Director Miss Karen Tang, included members: The Hon. CY Leung, Convenor of the Executive Council of HKSAR, and Chairman, Asia Pacific, DTZ; The Hon. Bernard Chan, Member of the Executive Council and the Legislative Council, and President, Asia Financial Holdings Ltd.; Prof. Stephen YL Cheung, Professor (Chair) of Finance, Department of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Business, City University of Hong Kong; Miss Winnie Ng, the Foundation’s Council Member, and Executive Director of Kowloon Motor Bus Co. Ltd; and Mr. Al. Reyes, Commentator on International Affairs. Mr. Chris Yeung, Editor-at-Large of the South China Morning Post was an observer of the delegation.
This year is the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong returning to China, the Foundation thus has set the theme of this year’s delegation as “Hong Kong in the Past Ten Years and the Road Ahead”.
To review Hong Kong’s positioning during its integration with mainland China, its uniqueness as a cosmopolitan city and gateway to the world, and describe the challenges and opportunities it faces under the principle of “One Country, Two Systems”.
During the mission, The Hon. CY Leung, The Hon. Bernard Chan and Prof. Cheung spoke at public talks and luncheons hosted by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Brookings Institutions, the Fund for American Studies, HKSAR Government’s Economic and Trade Office in New York, and the Asia Society.
The delegation also met with Government officials including Dr. Daniel B. Wright, Managing Director, US – China Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED); and The Honourable Thomas J. Christensen, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. The Foundation has a long history working with influential think tanks in the US. Therefore, the delegation also met with Cato Institute; Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Brookings Institute, Heritage Foundation etc, to exchange views on Hong Kong’s development since its return to China. Apart from meetings with US Government officials and NGOs, the delegation has also attended lunch and dinners hosted by the Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America, Chinese Consul General based in New York and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of the PRC to the United Nations.
Detailed itinerary is as follows:
June 18, 2007 (Monday) Washington D.C.
Breakfast Meeting with Briefing: U.S.-China Relations: A U.S. Legislative Perspective
chaired by Mr. Norman Lau Kee, Chairman Emeritus, US-Asia Institute
moderated by Robert F. Jordan, Senior Advisor, US-Asia Institute
Congressional Staff: Jaime R. Harrison, Director of Floor Operations and Counsel, Office of the Majority Whip, US House of Representatives
Michael Martin, Analyst in Asian Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division, Congressional Research Services
Wayne M. Morrison, Specialist in International Trade and Finance, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division, Congressional Research Services
Jefferey Wrase, Senate Republican Chief Economist, Joint Economic Committee US Congress
Meeting with HKETO Washington
Ms. Margaret Fong, Commissioner for Economic & Trade Affairs, USA
Mr. Eddie Mak, Dir-Gen, HK Economic & Trade Affairs, Washington
Ms Susanne Wong, Assistant Dir-Gen, HKETO
Meeting and Luncheon with DCM & Minister ZHENG Zeguang, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America, and Mr MA Zhanwu, Counsellor, Political Office, Embassy of the PRC in USA
Meeting with Cato Institute
Mr. William A. Niskanen, Chairman
Mr. James Dorn, VP for Academic Affairs
Public speaking engagement on “Hong Kong’s Economic Developments and Economic Relations with Mainland China” **
with The Hon. Bernard Chan and Prof. Stephen Cheung
hosted by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
moderated by Mark MEDISH, VP for Studies (Rusia, China, and Eurasia) at Carnegie
Meeting with Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Ms Jessica Matthews, President
Mr Albert Keidel, Senior Associate
Dinner hosted by HKETO Washington for The Hon. C.Y. Leung & The Hon. Bernard Chan
Participants:
The Honorable Donald A. Manzullo, Ranking Member, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment, U.S. House of Representatives
Dr. David H. McCormick, Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs, National Security Council, The White House
Dr. Ira Kasoff, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce
Dr. William A. Niskanen, Chairman,Cato Institute
Dr. Eric D.K. Melby, Principal Member, The Scowcroft Group
Dr. Pieter Bottelier, Senior Adjunct Professor, China Studies, The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), The Johns Hopkins University
Mr. Nien Su, Minority Professional Staff Member, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment, U.S. House of Representatives
Dinner hosted by HKETO Washington for other delegates
June 19, 2007 (Tuesday) Washington D.C.
Meeting with The Hon. Thomas J. Christensen, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
Mr. John J Norris, Jr. Director, Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs,
Mr David L. Citron, Mongolia Desk Officer, Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs,
Ms Pamela F Peng, Political Officer, Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs
Luncheon discussion **
with The Hon. C.Y. Leung
hosted by Brookings Institution
Participants:
Richard Bush, Brookings, Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies
Li Cheng, Brookings, China Center
Rikkie Yeung, Brookings, Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies
Chu Shulong, Brookings, Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies
D.L. McNeal, Brookings, China Cente
Wing Thye Woo, Brookings, Senior Fellow, John Thornton China Center, Foreign Policy Studies Program
Kevin Scott Brookings, Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies
Margaret Fong, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office
Eddie Mak, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office
Susanne Wong, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office
Alan Romberg, Senior Associate, Director, East Asia Program, Stimson Center
Stephen A. Schlaikjer, Senior Analyst, Centra Technolog, Inc.
Doug Spelman
T. Kumar, Amnesty International
Meeting with Congressman Edward R. Royce (R-CA), Asia Pacific Subcommittee, House Foreign Affairs Committee; Ranking Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade; Member, House Financial Services Committee, Mr Hunter M. Strupp, Legislative Assistant to Ed Royce
Meeting with Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN) House Foreign Affairs Committee, Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment Subcommittee
Meeting with Dr. Daniel B. Wright, Managing Director, China and the Strategic Economic Dialogue, U.S. Department of Treasury
Dinner with US journalists
Participants:
Terry Atlas, Assistant Managing Editor/World, U.S. News & World Report
Joyce Barnathan, President of ICFJ
Patrick Butler, Vice President of Programs, ICFJ
Jeffery H. Birnbaum, Staff Writer, Washington Post
Jim Wolf, Reuters
Winston Chen, Sing Tao Washington Bureau Chief
Paris Huang, Sing Tao Washington Bureau
June 20, 2007 (Wednesday) Washington D.C.
Meeting with Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Chairman, U.S.-China Interparliamentary Exchange, Mr Gregg E. Sheiowitz, Legislative Director for Joseph Crowley
Meeting with American Enterprise Institute
Ambassador James Lilley
hosted by Mrs. Esther G. Kee
Open forum on “Hong Kong in the Past Ten Years and the Future” **
with The Hon. C.Y. Leung, The Hon. Bernard Chan and Prof. Stephen Cheung
hosted by the Fund for American Studies
chaired by Mr Roger R. Ream, President of FAS
moderated by Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch, President of the US-China Education Trust
Meeting with Rear Admiral Eric McVadon (U.S. Navy, Retired) Director of Asia/Pacific Studies, Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis
Meeting with Heritage Foundation
Mr Harvey J. Feldman, Distinguished Fellow
Mr John J. Tkacik, JR, Senior Research Fellow, Asian Studies Center
Dinner hosted by the Asia Foundation
Ms. Nancy YUAN, Vice President and Director of Washington, D.C. office
Mr James Andrew KELLY, President, EAP Associates Inc; Former U.S. Asst Secretary of State for East Asian & Pacific Affairs; Trustee of TAF;
Mr Terrence B. Adamson, Executive Vice President, National Geographic
Mr Harry HARDING, Director, Research & Analysis, Eurasia Group; University Professor of International Affairs, George Washington University;
Mr David I. Steinberg, Director of Asian Studies Program, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service Washington, Georgetown University
Mr Barry M. Hager, President, Hager Associates
Ms Joyce CHANDRAN, Assistant Director of TAF
June 21 (Thursday) New York
Luncheon and briefing session **
hosted by Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, New York
Participants:
Miss Margaret Fong, Hong Kong Commissioner, USA, Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office
Ms. Monica Chen, Director, Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office
Mr. Paul W. Bateman, President, The Economic Club of New York
Mr. Terrence J. Checki, Executive Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Dr. Harry Harding, Counselor and Chair, China Task Force, Eurasia Group
Mr. Henry S. Tang, Governor and Co-Founder, Committee of 100
Mr. John E. Zuccotti, U.S. Chairman, Brookfield Properties Corporation
Mr. William W Ferguson, Managing Director, Group Managing Executive Asia Pacific, Citigroup Inc.
Mr. H. Hocking Cheng, Strategy & Business Development Director, Aetna Global Benefits, Aetna
Meeting with Morgan Stanley
Mr. Stephen S. Roach, Chief Economist and Director of Global Economic Analysis and newly named Chairman Asia
Mr. David Lew, Vice President, Private Wealth Management
Mr. Blair Pickerell, Managing Director & CEO, Asia, Morgan Stanley Investment Management
Welcoming Reception hosted by Oversees Press Club and Hong Kong Association of New York
Participants:
William J. Holstein, President, OPC Foundation
Jane Reilly, Executive Director, Overseas Press Club
Andrew Odell, Chairman, Hong Kong Association of New York
Ping An, Committee of 100
Stephen Wong, Regional Director, Americas, Hong Kong Trade Development Council
Louis Ho, Director New York, Hong Kong Trade Development Council
Sheri Prasso, Fortune
Minky Worden, Human Rights Watch
Peter Huvos, Human Rights Watch
Alice Young, Kay Scholer, Asia Pacific Practice
Gary Rosen, Commentary
Hannah Clark, Associate Editor, Inc.magazine
Michael Serrill, Senior Editor, Bloomberg Markets Magazine
Louis Chau, Sing Tao
Frank Yang, CCTV
Ping Yang, CCTV
Andrew L. Odell, Bryan Cave, LLP
Raymond Wong, Wong & Wong & Associates, Partner
Mrs. Valerie Wong, Wong & Wong & Associates, Partner
William Wilson, Wilson International Law
Henry Cheng, Chief Representative, HK Monetary Authority
Dinner hosted by Chinese Consulate General based in New York
June 22, 2007 (Friday) New York
Meeting with Forbes Magazine
Mr. Timothy C. Forbes, Chief Operating Officer
Mr Tim W. Ferguson, Editor, Forbes Asia
Meeting with HSBC
Mr. Paul Lawrence, CEO
Mr Marlon P. Young, CEO, Americas
Mr Kevin Newman, Senior Executive Vice President, Personal Financial Services
Ms. Linda S Recupero, Executive Vice President, Group Public Affairs
Ms Elizabeth Lee, Senior Vice President, Asian Market District
Luncheon Talk“Integration under One Country, Two Systems” **
with The Hon. C.Y. Leung,
hosted by Asia Society
Dinner hosted by WANG Guangya, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of the PRC to the UN
** speaking engagements by the delegates
To enhance the US media’s understanding about the latest development of Hong Kong and China, the delegation met with different media, including Forbes and Fortune magazine. Ms. Sheridan Prasso, reporter of Fortune magazine, was among them on the Welcoming Reception hosted by the Overseas Press Club in New York. Before Hong Kong’s return to China, the Fortune magazine published a cover story “The Death of Hong Kong”. And Miss Prasso wrote on the latest issue an article “Oops! Hong Kong is hardly dead”, acknowledged that the magazine (Fortune) had made a wrong judgment. (For full text of the article, please click:
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/07/09/100122332/index.htm?postversion=2007062816 )
The delegation met with the US-Asia Institute
The delegation met with the Ms. Margaret Fong, J.P., Hong Kong Commissioner, USA of HKETO
The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in USA hosted a welcome lunch for the delegation. Fourth from left is DCM and Minister, Mr. Zheng Zeguang.
The delegation had meeting with the Cato Institute, fourth from left is Chairman of the Institute Mr. William A. Niskanen, and third from right is VP for Academic Affairs Mr. James Dorn
Professor Stephen Cheung spoke at a public speaking engagement organized by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The Honourable Bernard Chan spoke at a public seminar organized by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
More than 50 audience from academic, media and professional bodies attended the public seminar organized by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The delegation met with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; sixth from left, Chairlady Ms. Jessica Mathews; third from right, Senior Associate Mr. Albert Keidel
The delegation met with The Honourable Thomas J. Christensen, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Public Affairs. (First from right)
The Honourable CY Leung spoke at a luncheon hosted by the Brookings Institute.
Members of the delegation took picture in front of the White House.
The delegation met with Congressman Edward R. Royce (R-CA)
Mr. Daniel B. Wright, Managing Director for China and the Strategic Economic Dialogue briefed the delegation on the progress of the dialogue.
Mr. Daniel B. Wright, Managing Director for China and the Strategic Economic Dialogue (fifth from left) with the delegation.
Meeting with Ambassador James Lilley (first from right)
The Honourable CY Leung spoke at a luncheon hosted by the Fund for American Studies.
The Honourable Bernard Chan spoke at a luncheon hosted by the Fund for American Studies.
Professor Stephen Cheung spoke at a luncheon hosted by the Fund for American Studies.
The delegates with the President of the Fund for American Studies Mr. Roger R. Ream and other participants of the luncheon.
Ms. Karen and Ms. Winnie Ng presented the Foundation’s souvenir to Rear Admiral Eric McVadon (U.S. Navy, Retired) Director of Asia/Pacific Studies, Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis
The delegation met with Mr. Harvey j. Feldman, Distinguished Fellow and Mr. John Tkacik, JR., Senior Research Fellow Asian Studies Center of the Heritage Foundation.
The delegation attended a dinner hosted by the Asia Foundation, Professor. Harry Harding of The George Washington University Washington DC (middle) was also one of the guests of the dinner.
HKETO New York hosted a welcome lunch for the delegation.
The Delegation with the guests of the welcome lunch hosted by HKETO New York.
Ms. Karen Tang presented the Foundation’s souvenir to Mr. Stephen S. Roach, Chairman, Morgan Stanley Asia Limited
Nearly 50 local journalists attended the welcome reception hosted by the Overseas Press Club.
The delegation met with Mr. Timothy C. Forbes (left) and Mr. Tim W. Ferguson of the Forbes magazine
A plate with Chairman Mao Zedong’s quotation was put on the conference table of the Forbes magazine. The quotation reminded people to speak to the point and don’t waste time on long meetings.
The delegation with senior executives of HSBC Bank USA, fifth from the left is Group General Manager Mr. Paul J. Lawrence
The delegates with the participants of the luncheon hosted by Asia Society
The delegation presented the Foundation’s souvenir to Professor Harry Harding, moderator of the discussion session of the luncheon
The delegation met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Wang Guangya, Permanent Representative of the PRC to the UN (middle)
Delegates took a group photo before leaving New York.
Ms. Winnie Ng (right) and Mr. Chris Yeung (left) with local media
