Hong Kong's acting chief executive Donald Tsang says Asian countries and regions must develop their domestic financial markets before building a common currency.

He made the comment in a speech at the Boao Forum 2005.

Donald Tsang says Asian countries are economically interdependent but manufacturing remains a major industry for the region's GDP growth.

The acting Hong Kong chief urged the promotion of free trade in the Asian region, the development of the domestic financial market and strengthening of financial regulation, in an effort to form a convergent regional monetary policy for Asian prosperity.

The four-day regional forum is under the theme of "Asia Searching for Win-Win" and will focus on currency, energy, real estate, and auto industry development issues.

(CRI.com April 24, 2005)