Hong Kong Chief Executive (CE) Donald Tsang stressed in Washington that Hong Kong's recent constitutional development reform proposal represents a major advance of the city's democratic arrangements.

According to a government press release on Thursday, the CE made the remarks on Wednesday, first day of his Washington visit. Tsang explained Hong Kong's latest economic and political developments to a range of influential congress members, business leaders and a prominent think-tank.

On the constitutional development, Tsang said the proposal released last week represents a major advance of Hong Kong's democratic arrangements and has obtained support from most of Hong Kong people.

On the 6th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to be held in Hong Kong in mid-December, Tsang said Hong Kong is determined to work for a meaningful outcome at the conference.

As a non-agricultural economy, he said the city is well-placed to act as an "honest broker" to try to help narrow differences on the contentious agriculture issue.

He also stressed Hong Kong's role as an international financial and logistics center, which has been enhanced by the implementation of the Chinese mainland/Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA).

(Xinhua News Agency October 28, 2005)