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Taipei mayor on ‘one country, two systems'
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VISITING Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou said on Monday in Hong Kong that the “one country, two systems" principle has been implemented successfully in Hong Kong for the past three years.
In the three years, Hong Kong's economy continued to prosper, with increases of external trade and tourists arrivals, he said in an interview with Xinhua.
Ma said someone had predicted that Hong Kong would become less important after its return to China, but it has not been so and instead Hong Kong has scored much progress in its economy after 1997.
In general, Taiwan people are happy to see the achievements of the “one country, two systems" principle in Hong Kong and wish it success.
Ma said Taiwan has maintained a close tie with Hong Kong for a long time. Over 1.8 million Taiwan people visit Hong Kong annually, with more than 200 flights linking Hong Kong and Taipei and Kaohsiung of Taiwan each week, he said, adding that few other two cities in the world maintain so close ties like Hong Kong and Taipei.
Ma said he advocated not to ignore the importance of Hong Kong as early as 10 years ago, as it serves as a spring board for Taiwan to get to know the mainland. Even if the direct postal, commercial, shipping and air links are established across the Taiwan Straits, Hong Kong will still be an important port for Taiwan's trade with Southeast Asia, he said.
Ma, who arrived in Hong Kong on Sunday for a four-day visit with a 40-member delegation, told reporters that Taipei could use Hong Kong as model of city planning. (SD-Agencies)
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