Hong Kong officials will attend the China-ASEAN Entry-Exit Quarantine Management Meeting on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) later in Beijing.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Carrie Yau Tsang Ka-lai, will depart Hong Kong on May 31 for the meeting, according to the government gazette released on Tuesday.

Hosted by China, the meeting will be held in Beijing on June 1 to June 2 with a view to implementing the initiatives by the Special China-ASEAN Leaders' Meeting on SARS on April 29 in Bangkok.

Yau, together with several other Hong Kong representatives, are taking part as members of the Chinese delegation.

The meeting also aims to coordinate and strengthen the entry-exit quarantine measures for preventing the spread of SARS among China and ASEAN countries, and to explore how best to reduce the impact of SARS on the movement of personnel and trade cooperation.

(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2003)