President Jiang Arrives in HK for Fortune Forum

President Jiang Arrives in HK for Fortune Forum

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Chinese President Jiang Zemin arrived in Hong Kong by special plane Tuesday morning to attend the Fortune Global Forum 2001 scheduled for May 8-10, accompanied by his wife Wang Yeping, Vice-Premier Qian Qichen and his wife Zhou Hanqiong, and some senior central government officials.

Jiang and his entourage were greeted by Tung Chee Hwa, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), and his wife Betty Tung, as well as a number of SAR principal officials and local people from all walks of life.

This is his third visit to Hong Kong since it returned to China four years ago.

Jiang declared here the return of Hong Kong to China on July 1, 1997. One year later he was here to attend celebrations marking the first anniversary of the founding of the Hong Kong SAR. The president's arrival today to attend the Fortune forum is seen as an indication of the central government's support to the Hong Kong SAR.

Among those present at the Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok to greet President Jiang were also Jiang Enzhu, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR, Ji Peiding, commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong SAR, and Commander Xiong Ziren and Political Commissar Wang Yufa of the People's Liberation Army Garrison in Hong Kong. Gerald Levin, chief executive officer of the AOL Time Warner, was also among those greeting Jiang at the airport.

Some 150 local children waving China's national flags and Hong Kong SAR flags were at the airport to greet Jiang and his party.

Jiang and his wife were presented with a bouquet of flowers amidst music played by a police band.

During his stay in Hong Kong, Jiang will give a keynote speech at a dinner for the opening of the forum Tuesday evening. He is expected to meet political figures of foreign countries and business leaders of Hong Kong and foreign countries.