Asia-Pacific News
Hong Kong denies report that leader is to visit to Taiwan
Feb 7, 2012, 7:05 GMT
Hong Kong - The Hong Kong government on Tuesday denied news reports that its Chief Executive Donald Tsang was planning to be the first leader of the city to visit Taiwan.
The United Daily News had reported earlier that Tsang might officiate at the formal inauguration in May of Hong Kong's Economic, Trade and Cultural Office in Taipei.
The report quoted unnamed Hong Kong officials in Taipei as saying that they would welcome any such visit, which would also coincide with an announcement to simplify travel for Taiwan visitors to Hong Kong by allowing them to apply for visas online.
But a spokeswoman for the chief executive told dpa that Tsang had no plans to visit Taiwan.
Such a visit would be the first by a leader of Hong Kong, which reverted to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 after more than 150 years of British colonial rule.
The city operates under a 'one country, two systems' principle of government with China, which Beijing has said could also be the model for Taiwan's return to Chinese sovereignty.
In the absence of any formal diplomatic relations between the two administrations, Hong Kong's office in Taiwan, which started operations in December, acts as an informal representation.
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