Business and public sector leaders share a common commitment to upholding Hong Kong's reputation as a world city with a level playing field for business and a clean administration, Hong Kong's Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa said here Thursday.
Tung made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the Leadership Forum 2002 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.
Tung noted that leaders of the business and public sectors shoulder a heavy responsibility to ensure that Hong Kong remains a beacon of clean administration in the region, and indeed around the world.
According to Tung, Hong Kong people are fortunate to have a strong institutional framework to buttress their efforts, which are "a tried and trusted legal system upheld by an independent judiciary, the free flow of information, a robust and critical media that operates in an unfettered environment, a highly-trained and professional police force and a top-notch anti-corruption agency that has been used as a model by governments around the world."
Tung pointed out that since the Asian financial crisis in 1997,good corporate governance has never been more important.
"Here in Hong Kong we have been working hard over the past few years to bolster the efficacy of our corporate governance regimes," the chief executive stated, adding "good corporate governance is essential if we are to maintain our position as a leading and quality international financial center."
(Xinhua News Agency December 13, 2002)
