HK to bid for hosting ITU Telecom World 2006
( 2003-10-09 16:37) (Xinhua)
Hong Kong will bid to host
the International Telecommunication Union's ITU Telecom World 2006, a government
press release said in Hong Kong Wednesday.
Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology John Tsang will go to Geneva
on Oct. 13 to attend ITU Telecom World 2003, where he will lobby for support
from the ITU and the industry to host the 2006 event and deliver a keynote
address at the ITU Telecom World Forum on "Opening up trade in telecoms".
ITU Telecom World is the most prestigious gathering in global
telecommunications, bringing together leading telecoms experts from the public
and private sectors, heads of state, ministers, regulators and CEOs of
multinational corporations.
A spokesman for the Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau noted that with
China's mainland opening its information and communications technology market to
Hong Kong companies under the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, and to
the world under the World Trade Organization, Hong Kong is the ideal venue for
bringing together leading executives in the information and communications
technology industry from around the world to explore their market opportunities
in the Chinese mainland
According to the spokesman, the direct economic benefits generated by the
event would amount to around 1.2 billion HK dollars (US$154 million), while the
estimated cost of hosting the event stands at 70 million HK dollars (US$8.97
million).
"Hosting the next ITU Telecom World will significantly raise Hong Kong's
image as both an international telecommunications and Internet hub and an
exhibition and conference center. What's more, it will enhance Hong Kong's
reputation as a major business center in the region," the spokesman
said.
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