HK financial chief to attend APEC meetings

HONG KONG - Hong Kong's Financial Secretary John Tsang will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting and CEO Summit on behalf of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, the government website said on Wednesday.

Leung announced on Wednesday the cancellation of his trip to Vladivostok, Russia, where the APEC meetings will take place, as he will focus on his domestic duties in the coming few days.

Leung has asked the financial secretary to make every effort to arrange a meeting with the President of the Philippines during the APEC meetings, to convey the demands of the victims and bereaved families of the hostage incident. The chief executive has conveyed their demands to the central government.

The hostage incident happened on Aug 23, 2010, when a sacked Philippine police hijacked a bus with 21 Hong Kong tourists in Manila, with eight of the hostages killed at the end.

Tsang will leave for Russia on Wednesday and return to Hong Kong on Sept 11. In his absence, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury K C Chan will act as Financial Secretary.