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Tsang urged to consider HK joining regional trade blocs

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A Hong Kong delegate to a top national advisory body yesterday urged the chief executive to consider joining regional trading blocs to bolster the city's export economy.

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Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference member Ann Chiang Lai-wan said Hong Kong should sign long-term economic partnerships with other countries or regional trading groups.

'The development of regional economies is a worldwide trend but Hong Kong has not joined any regional economic organisations,' she said.

China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have signed an agreement with a view to establishing a free-trade area by 2010.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen met Ms Chiang and 25 other member of the CPPCC yesterday to seek views ahead of his policy address in October.

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Ms Chiang said that while Hong Kong was a free port that imposed low tariffs for imports, the reverse was not always the case for the city's exports because it was not a member of regional trading blocs.

She said while China was a member of many regional economic pacts, Hong Kong was not automatically included because it had a different tax regime from the mainland.

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