The Better Hong Kong Foundation’s Mission to U.S. – A Resounding Success

HONG KONG(May 30, 2006) Hong Kong Foundation’s delegation has just returned after a successful 11-day mission to the United States, between May 7-18, 2006. The mission visited Washington D.C., New York Boston and San Francisco. 

As part of continuous efforts in keeping Hong Kong a prominent business spot on the world map, the Foundation’s visit serves to update American opinion-leaders and interlocutors on Hong Kong. As a two-way exchange, the visit aims to deepen the delegates’ understanding of how American thought-leaders and decision-makers perceive the Hong Kong SAR under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle and under the aegis of the Basic Law. The delegation, led by Mr George Yuen, Chief Executive, the Better Hong Kong Foundation, included: Miss Elsie Leung, former Secretary for Justice, Miss Winnie Ng, Executive Director, Kowloon Motor Bus, Professor James Tang, Dean of Social Sciences Faculty of Hong Kong University, Visiting Fellow to the US Brookings Institute, Mr Alex Reyes, Senior Political Commentator, and a visiting fellow to Columbia University and Miss Karen Tang, the foundation’s Executive Director (Designate).  

During the visit, the delegates presented to the United States administration, congressmen, business leaders, academia, think tanks and media with the latest political and economic situation of Hong Kong, its investment outlook and constitutional development. They included the State Department, the Commerce Department, the Senate and the House and their Staffers. Besides, discussions were held with the Heritage Foundation, the Cato Institute, the Brookings Institute and the Centre for International and Strategic Studies (CSIS) respectively.  

Delegates also met with the top management of the U.S. famous corporations. Among them were Citibank, HSBC, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and the world’s famous rating agency, Standards & Poor’s. The delegates had attended forums at four top US universities including Harvard, Tufts, Stanford and UC Berkeley where Miss Elsie Leung addressed on the importance of rule of law as the core value for the HKSAR under the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle, among other topics such as the intellectual property right (IPR), the CEPA and constitutional development.  

Delegation leader, Mr George Yuen described the mission a resounding success as manifested by a series of high level meetings with the U.S. officials, congressmen and their aides in Washington D.C. and top corporate CEOs in New York. They reasserted that Hong Kong’s one country two systems principle had been working very well and contributing to the stability and prosperity of the Special Administration Region.

Mr Yuen remarked “Our mission was at best blessed with a multiple of ‘Fours’, starting with 4 major US cities, 4 influential legislators, 4 important financial institutions, 4 top US universities and 4 principal media organizations, not to mention 4 well attended forums. The visit has been both an eye-opening exercise and a learning experience as it has broadened our horizon on international relations and has broken new grounds on strategic networking. This annual visit is a fine tradition that we dearly value as the two-way exchange continues fostering an even closer tie between Hong Kong and the US communities.”
 
Mr Yuen added “As the mission came in tandem with the Chinese President Hu Jintao’s State visit, we would have a clear appreciation of the importance of the Sino-US relations and its ramifications on Hong Kong. Moreover, the U.S. interlocutors reiterated that better U.S.-China relations would mean a better Hong Kong. Hence, the HKSAR would continue to assume an important role to facilitate friendly exchanges of U.S. and China opinion leaders and to promote a better understanding between two countries. The foundation will continue its activities in the U.S. and will assist in arranging congressional and media visits to China and Hong Kong. The same will apply to our major trading partners such as the European Union.”  

Principal delegate, Miss Elsie Leung expressed confidence in the healthy and peaceful development of the Sino-US relations and hence would benefit Hong Kong as she made keynote speeches at important law forums and business luncheons in four hosting cities.  

Mr Yuen thanked the U.S. Government and the Congress for giving the delegation such a high-level and warm reception. He also gratefully thanked the Hong Kong Commissioner and her directors-general of the three Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices for their support rendered to the visit in the United States. Meanwhile, Mr Yuen paid tribute to the Chinese Ambassador in the U.S. the Consuls-General in New York and San Francisco for their efforts and assistance. More significantly was the foundation’s meeting with the Chinese Representative to the UN Mission for giving due recognition to the foundation’s mission in playing a part to promote the Sino-US relations.  

Mr Yuen acknowledged “Equally important, we have a great team in our successful endeavours as everybody did an excellent job in conveying the right message.”  

Miss Karen Tang, the incoming foundation’s Executive Director concluded, “We all took part in over 40 useful dialogues pivotal to future co-operation, business ties and educational exchanges. We will keep up our good efforts and build on our relations with opinion leaders, business community, research institutes, non-government organizations overseas for the economic health and public well-being of Hong Kong.”

For enquires, please contact Ms Brenda Wong of the Better Hong Kong Foundation at 2865-3533.
 

 

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Background of the Better Hong Kong Foundation:
The Better Hong Kong Foundation was founded in 1995. It is a privately funded non-profit organization, formed by leading Hong Kong business and community leaders to enhance greater international understanding between East and West by facilitating communications between Hong Kong, China and the international community. As we strive to create an even better Hong Kong for ourselves and our families, we are turning the promise of “One Country Two Systems” and a high degree of autonomy into reality. The Foundation’s mission is to share this sense of confidence in the future of the Special Administrative Region with overseas business and political leaders.