D. Closer Economic Co-operation with the Mainland

I. Seizing New Opportunities

30. Staunch support from the Mainland and our global outlook have been crucial to our economic success. We in turn have been playing a unique role in China's modernisation process. Accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has ushered in a new stage of opening up the Mainland. Notwithstanding some difficulties in our own economic development, we have not reduced our investments in China and remain its biggest outside investor. Two decades of substantial investment has provided us with a solid foundation on which we can further contribute to the Mainland's economic development, post-WTO. Despite the rapid economic development of Chinese cities, Hong Kong, as a more developed economy, has not lost any of its advantages. This will enable us to continue to give strong support to our country as it opens up further to the world.