The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, will visit Vancouver, Washington and New York later this month (October) and London early next month (November) to update political and business leaders and the media there on Hong Kong's latest economic, political and social developments.

Mr Tsang will leave for Vancouver on October 22. While there, he and the Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Huang Huahua, will host the "Hong Kong - Guangdong Business Forum in Canada 2005" on October 24. This is the first large-scale investment promotion event jointly held by Hong Kong and Guangdong in Canada. The Premier of British Columbia, Mr Gordon Campbell, and the Federal Industry Ministry, Mr David Emerson, will attend the seminar.

The Chief Executive will meet prominent businessmen in New York on October 25.

During his stay in Washington between October 25 and 29, Mr Tsang will meet with the US Administration, members of Congress, think tanks and business leaders . He will deliver a keynote speech at the annual gala dinner of the Asia Society Washington Centre.

Mr Tsang will leave the US for Hong Kong on October 29 and then leave for London on November 1.

During his stay in London, Mr Tsang will meet senior government officials, Members of Parliament, business and financial leaders, think tanks and academia.

On November 3, he will deliver a keynote speech at the opening of a three-day conference on Hong Kong organised by Wilton Park.

Other highlights of his trip to London include speaking at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council annual dinner; launching the Hong Kong Tourism Board's "Discover Hong Kong 2006" promotion in the UK and attending a reception with the Lord Mayor Elect to mark Hong Kong's first ever participation in the Lord Mayor's Show 2005.

Mr Tsang will leave London for Hong Kong on November 5. 

Accompanying the Chief Executive on the trip will be Mrs Tsang; the Director of Information Services, Miss Yvonne Choi; the Private Secretary to the Chief Executive, Mrs Jessie Ting; and the Assistant Director (Media), Mr Donald Chen.

During the absence of Mr Tsang, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Rafael Hui, will be the Acting Chief Executive.