POLAND and Hongkong look set to forge closer ties after a year spent setting up initial contacts between the two sides.
The Consulate General of the Republic of Poland is just completing its first year in Hongkong, a year in which both sides have learned a lot about each other.
''We have always had a very good embassy infrastructure in the Asian region, but for many reasons Poland was not previously represented here in Hongkong, and it was an unknown place for us,'' said the Mr Krzysztof Ciebien, Consul-in-Charge at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland.
''The Asia-Pacific region is very important from the political, economic and financial point of view, and opening the Consulate General in Hongkong completed our presence in the region.'' Mr Ciebien said that Poland considered Hongkong to be most important as far as finance banking and management were concerned, particularly after the reforms and introduction of a market economy in Poland three years ago.
''The reforms have changed the mentality of the people and now they are very interested in foreign capital and foreign business.'' Mr Ciebien, who previously served in the Polish Embassy in Beijing, spent much of his first year establishing connections with Hongkong's businessmen, institutions such as the Hongkong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the media, and providing them with information about Poland.
In the second half of 1992, delegations of Polish businessmen began arriving, and Mr Ciebien is optimistic that some Polish companies and banks will open offices, or representative offices, in the near future.