NEW YORK, June 11
(Xinhua) -- Hong Kong effectively connects
the world's two largest economies
of the United States and China,
Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung
Chun-Ying said here Tuesday.
At
the "Think Asia, Think Hong Kong"
symposium, which attracts more than 200
Hong Kong and Chinese mainland
officials and business leaders, Leung
said Hong Kong provides the most
efficient way for U.S. companies
to reach the Chinese mainland and
Asian markets.
He said as
a city of 7 million people, Hong
Kong is the 10th largest market for
U.S. exports and bilateral trade
volume has tripled in the past
decade.
"There are currently 1,300
U.S. companies operating in Hong
Kong and half of them set up
regional headquarters here. They know
if their products and services sell
well in Hong Kong, they will
sell well throughout the country, a
market with a potential of 1.3 billion
customers," the chief executive
said.
Leung said the Chinese
mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic
Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) eliminates
import tariffs and provides preferential
market access in 48 sectors, and
U.S. companies operating in Hong
Kong can also enjoy full benefits
of the CEPA.
Francisco Sanchez,
U.S. under commerce secretary for
international trade, also highlighted Hong
Kong's unique position as it
links the west to the
east.
"When we think about
doing business in Asia, we have
to think about Hong Kong, because
Hong Kong is in many ways our
gateway to the continent," Sanchez
said, adding that this program
provides necessary information and expertise
to any business that hopes to
expand exports and investment in
Asia.
The event, held by
the Hong Kong Trade Development
Council, is the largest promotion that
Hong Kong has ever organized in
the United States.
It is
also Leung's first overseas trip
since he became chief executive of
the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region of China in 2012.
