Financial Secretary Henry Tang will lead a Hong Kong delegation to attend the 60th Plenary Session of the Economic & Social Commission for Asia & the Pacific in Shanghai from April 22 to 28.

As a subsidiary of the United Nations, the commission conducts research and surveys, and initiates measures to facilitate the economic development of the Asia-Pacific region, mainly through the collection, evaluation and dissemination of economic, technological and statistical information.

Hong Kong is an associate member and has participated in the commission's work, in particular in the Committee on Statistics, the Typhoon Committee and the Committee on Environment & Natural Resources Development.

The commission's 60th session is a commemorative occasion and will take place at its birthplace Shanghai, rather than the usual venue of Bangkok.

The theme is 'Meeting the challenges in an era of globalisation by strengthening regional development co-operation'. The session covers the Senior Officials Segment from April 22 to 24, and the Ministerial Segment from April 26 to 28. Mr Tang will attend the latter.

Other Hong Kong members include Commissioner for Census & Statistics Frederick Ho, Government Economist Tang Kwong Yiu, Deputy Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology Raymond Young, Assistant Director-General of Trade & Industry Jenny Yip and Director of the Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing Bowen Leung.