Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang formally established the Hong Kong-Taiwan Economic and Cultural Cooperation and Promotion Council (ECCPC) on April 1. 

In doing so, the Chief Executive appointed a number of key members to the council: Financial Secretary John C. Tsang as honorary chairman, Charles Lee as chairman, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Stephen Lam as executive vice chairman and Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Rita Lau and Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing as vice chairmen.

High-level representatives from various policy bureaus and relevant quasi-government organizations, including the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Transport and Housing Bureau, the Security Bureau, the Information Services Department, the Economic Analysis and Business Facilitation Unit, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Hong Kong Tourism Board, will act as council directors to oversee its work. The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau will provide secretariat support.

“As exchanges between Hong Kong and Taiwan cover a wide spectrum of topics, the ECCPC will invite respectable leaders from relevant sectors to act as advisers to provide professional advice and guidance to the work of the ECCPC where necessary,” a government spokesman said.  

The council has invited Lawrence Lau Juen-yee, vice chancellor of The Chinese University of Hong Kong and a non-official member of the Executive Council, to act as such an advisor.

Hong Kong and Taiwan have worked closely in the past few months to establish the new platform.  The Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Cooperation Council (ECCC), i.e., the Taiwanese counterpart of the Hong Kong council, will be established soon.  

The government spokesman said the Chief Executive hopes to meet with the ECCC as soon as possible to discuss and negotiate issues that are of mutual interest to both places.

The Hong Kong government will incorporate the council as a limited company under the Companies Ordinance over the next few months.  Incorporation will provide the agency with legal person status.  With the government’s authorization, it will be able to engage the ECCC on various public policy-related issues and to sign memoranda of cooperation and other relevant documents with the Taiwanese side.

At the corporate level, the Hong Kong-Taiwan Business Cooperation Committee (BCC), which comprises members of the local commercial sector and Taiwan businessmen in Hong Kong, was also established April 1.  The BCC will act as the counterpart of the Economic Cooperation Committee of the ECCC and will foster exchanges on trade, investment and tourism between Hong Kong and Taiwan.  

The Chief Executive appointed David Lie as BCC chairman. Mr. Lie will also serve as a vice chairman of the Hong Kong council so as to align the vision and work plans of both organizations.

“With the establishment of the new platforms, we expect to see multi-faceted and multi-level exchanges with Taiwan,” said the spokesman. “For example, on the health portfolio, we can discuss with the Taiwanese side on issues such as public health, infectious disease, medical services, clinical trials and exchange of drug-related information, etc. On the financial front, Hong Kong and Taiwan can discuss enhancement of cooperation in financial regulation between the two places. On the issue of avoidance of double-taxation, we will continue to discuss with the Taiwanese side relevant arrangements relating to shipping income. We also plan to strengthen exchanges, liaisons and cooperation with Taiwan in other policy areas, such as the services trade, tourism, sports and cultural exchanges, and notary services. 

“From now on, we hope that Hong Kong and Taiwanese officials can exchange views on issues of mutual concern in appropriate capacities under this umbrella, and that both sides can look into areas where cooperation could be strengthened, so as to further promote high-level exchanges between Hong Kong and Taiwan.”

The two councils plan to hold their first joint meeting in the coming months.  In his capacity as honorary chairman of the Hong Kong agency, the Financial Secretary said he hopes to lead a delegation comprising members of the Hong Kong council and the BCC to visit Taiwan this year to discuss bilateral cooperation and to conduct visits.

The ECCPC is an initiative put forth by the Chief Executive in his 2009-2010 Policy Address, with the aims of grasping opportunities arising from closer relations across the Straits, promoting Hong Kong’s interest and long-term development and enhancing exchanges between Hong Kong and Taiwan.  Although the council is not a government entity, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will provide full support and resources to push ahead relevant work and activities.