TODAY, on the occasion of the official celebration of the birthday of Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands, it is my privilege to convey my very best wishes, not only to the Dutch community but to the people of Hongkong.
Through the years, Hongkong has shown a tremendous hospitality and friendship towards its citizens of Dutch descent.
The Netherlands and Hongkong have, in many respects, common positions.
Hongkong stands at the gateway to China and is located at the heart of the most rapidly growing regional economy in the world.
The establishment of the Single European Market from last year is extremely important and challenging for Hongkong, and The Netherlands is the door to Europe.
Europe now offers more buying power, more business opportunities, fewer barriers and lower costs. Furthermore, both The Netherlands and Hongkong have traditionally also been keen believers in free trade.
Last year's bilateral trade flow grew by 32 per cent, which, in comparison with the respectable overall growth of Hongkong's trade, shows the healthiness growth potential of our trading experiences.