With compliments: Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Rita Lau meets Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan.

Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Rita Lau has met with Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan to discuss strengthening ties between the Canadian city and Hong Kong.

Mrs Lau started her two-day Vancouver visit yesterday, stopping over on her return from the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation meetings in Peru. She and Mr Sullivan discussed the possibility of co-operation in the application of Octopus card technology.

Mrs Lau later met University of British Columbia students at a lunch reception to discuss Hong Kong's economic situation and encourage them to visit the city for tourism, internships, student exchange and career development after graduation.

She later toured the Port of Vancouver and its terminal facilities, and visited Absolute Software Corporation, named the British Columbia Technology Industry Association's company of the year for 2008.

Mrs Lau will speak tomorrow at a luncheon presented by the Vancouver Board of Trade, the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Canada and the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association's Vancouver section.