Morning meeting: Chief Executive Donald Tsang speaks at a breakfast meeting hosted by the Standard Chartered Bank in Abu Dhabi.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang has called for greater business co-operation between Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates.

Speaking at a luncheon co-organised with the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry today Mr Tsang said the UAE is Hong Kong's largest trading partner in the Middle East with bilateral trade worth US$3.4 billion in 2006.

"I believe we can build on that momentum," he said, noting Hong Kong's development of an Islamic finance market plus its experience and expertise in infrastructure development.

Mr Tsang also attended a breakfast meeting hosted by the Standard Chartered Bank and later called on UAE Minister of Economy Sheikha Lubna K Al Qassimi, Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdallah Bin Zayid Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority Managing Director Sheikh Ahmad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Abu Dhabi's Planning & Economy Department Head Naser Ahmed Al Suwaidi.