HK Standard
Monday, May 21, 2012
Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun- wah said he hopes Hong Kong will sign a free trade agreement with Taiwan, and strengthen bilateral collaboration.
The SAR and the island have yet to ink any bilateral trade pacts.
Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan are individual members of the World Trade Organization.
Tsang wrote the comments in his blog after returning from a three-day visit to the island to celebrate the second anniversary of the Hong Kong-Taiwan Economic and Cultural Cooperation and Promotion Council.
He is the honorary chairman of the council, which has proposed a two-way visa-free travel arrangement that should be up and running by September.
Hong Kong and Taiwan have also drawn up new freight agreements and sought cooperation on financial regulations.
Tsang said business people from both sides hope for a closer economic and trade relationship.
He looks forward to new developments that will strengthen cooperation between the two sides.
Tsang is keen to promote trade between Hong Kong and other places.
Last month, he went to Southeast Asia and tried to incorporate the SAR into the free trade area formed between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. VICTOR CHEUNG