Chief Executive John Lee today met visiting World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to exchange views on issues of mutual interest.

As Mr Lee welcomed Ms Okonjo-Iweala's visit to Hong Kong, he emphasised that Hong Kong, China is a founding member of the WTO and remains firmly committed to the rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core.

The Chief Executive highlighted that he is encouraged by the commendation by WTO members during the Trade Policy Review meeting in December last year, which recognised Hong Kong, China's commitment to promoting global trade liberalisation and the city's measures to enhance business facilitation, as well as its continuous efforts to reinforce Hong Kong’s role as an international investment and trading hub.

Apart from noting that Hong Kong has been actively seeking early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and signed a Free Trade Agreement with Peru last month, Mr Lee pointed out that such moves will sustain and reinforce Hong Kong's distinctive advantages as a global city and the important role it plays in offering high value-added supply chain management services for international trade.

He also said that supporting a multilateral trading system remains at the core of Hong Kong's trade policy, and that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to expand the city's global economic and trade networks through various means including forging free trade agreements.

Acting Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Bernard Chan and Director-General of Trade & Industry Aaron Liu also attended the meeting.