Chief's speech: Chief Executive Donald Tsang speaks at the Expo Central China 2006 Business Summit in Hunan.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang has concluded his three-day Hunan visit, which has helped Hong Kong entrepreneurs and investors know more about the business environment in Central China.

He told the press in Hunan today the tour aimed to explore more opportunities for business people and professionals. Some of the business leaders in the delegation have found trade partners there, and some are thinking of launching new projects or expanding their investments in the area.

Noting the central region covers six provinces - Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan, Hubei and Hunan, Mr Tsang said Hong Kong entrepreneurs and investors can make use of the region's geographical advantage of interlocking eastern and western China and connecting the north with the south, as well as its abundant resources to expand their businesses.

He said efforts have been made to help Hong Kong business people, with two more economic and trade offices recently being opened in Chengdu and Shanghai to cater for their needs.

Expo interest

Mr Tsang today attended the Expo Central China 2006 in Changsha. It offered a platform for the six provinces to open up and attract foreign investment. It also helped foreign entrepreneurs and investors learn about the central region's investment environment.

Before ending the tour, Mr Tsang visited three large-scale enterprises and was impressed by their state-of-the-art facilities.

In the coming months, Mr Tsang will lead business delegations to Guizhou and Jiangxi.