?With the general public?s increasing awareness of the importance of early retirement planning and substantial growth in personal wealth in the region, we can see a growing demand for wealth management and related services,? Mr Tang said.

?Looking ahead, we see a favourable and promising outlook for our wealth management industry,? he added.

The Financial World Expo 2006 runs from Friday to Sunday at the Hong Kong Convention Centre in Wan Chai.

It is the only expo in the Asia-Pacific region which covers full financial planning and wealth management products and services. Organisers project visitor number this year to exceed 30,000, up from last year?s 25,000.

The financial secretary said this year?s expo, with its scope tripling that of the first expo two years ago, had received a enthusiastic response from exhibitors from financial professions.

Mr Tang said the accumulation of personal savings in the mainland as a result of its economic growth had created a huge demand for investment and wealth management services.

?And with increasing liberalisation of exchange control, I believe the market potential is enormous. Located at the doorstep of the mainland, Hong Kong is well placed to tap into this huge pool of savings and offer our first class wealth management services,? Mr Tang said.

He said Hong Kong?s rule of law, robust regulatory regime, as well as its free economy, simple tax system and absence of foreign exchange control, could help it develop as a leading asset management centre.

?This is further enhanced by the recent abolition of estate duty and the exemption of offshore funds from profit tax,? he said.

Mr Tang also said the number of Certified Financial Planners in Hong Kong had exceeded 2,000, giving the city the highest ratio of qualified financial planners to population in Asia.