Interview: UK's Share of Pie in HK Grows Bigger, UK Consul-GeneralThe UK's share of the pie in Hong Kong has grown larger as the British exports here have been expanded since China's resumption of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997, a British diplomat said Wednesday.It is safe to say that UK's exports to Hong Kong in the first months this year was increased by 21 percent compared with the same period in 1999, and the increase will be greater in the months to come, British Consul-General in Hong Kong James Hodge said when interviewing with Xinhua. "It shows that the British share of the pie in Hong Kong is getting bigger and bigger," Hodge said. "We can always do better, and everyone wants to try hard to get more of the pie." He stressed that the British companies are doing well in Hong Kong and showing their competence in different sectors in Hong Kong by trying hard to do business here, and they have a great deal of interests in this market. Hodge, a veteran British diplomat who started his Hong Kong term in August this year, is the second British Consul-General in Hong Kong since Hong Kong's return to its motherland in 1997. Having followed Hong Kong affairs for many years and spent a good deal of his career in East Asia, Hodge said, "I'm very lucky to have come to Hong Kong at a very interesting time of its development." Speaking of his impressions on Hong Kong, Hodge said this is a very dynamic and busy city, and it is recovering very well from the effects of the economic problems that affected so much of Asia starting about three years ago. On the political side, the implementation of the 'One Country, Two Systems' policy in Hong Kong has gone well, and the recent elections for the Legislative Council went off in a good, open and transparent way, moving Hong Kong towards a full democratic system at a pace which the people of Hong Kong would wish, he said. Hodge said the Hong Kong government's efforts in improvement of environment and China's impending accession to WTO will create more opportunities for the British companies. "As we are moving into the 21st century, we shall be looking forward to build a relationship with Hong Kong which is different from what we had four years ago," Hodge said. The consul-general's plan for his four-year term is to further the bilateral relation between UK and Hong Kong which will benefit both sides. There is a great deal that UK can offer Hong Kong since Hong Kong government has exerted great efforts to improve the environment and education, Hodge said. "We shall be looking to opportunities to collaborate and encourage the British companies to increase investment in Hong Kong," he said. Hodge has been in Beijing for almost two years in 1995 and 1996 as Minister in the British Embassy. He said he and his wife enjoyed the life there very much. Before he came to Hong Kong, he served as ambassador to Thailand. |
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