荷蘭駐香港總領事 莫尉峰 獻辭

荷蘭駐香港總領事 莫尉峰 獻辭
Message from the Consul General of the Kingdoms of the Netherlands

荷蘭於四月二十七日慶祝國慶日。去年，貝婭特麗克絲女皇陛下讓位予其子，而威廉‧亞力山大成為我國的新國皇。經歷數百年之後，荷蘭再次由一位國皇成為國家元首。香港的大型荷蘭社群定會把橙色 – 我國的民族色彩帶進香江。

本人想抓着此時機，慶祝香港特別行政區與荷蘭王國政府和人民之間的良好關係。香港與荷蘭有許多相同之處，我們都是地域小並只有有限的可用空間。這促使我們在土地開發和城市規劃方面更為高效和創新。其次，在經濟方面，我們都把精力聚於力量之上：香港與荷蘭都是開放、國際化、創新和具活力的經濟體。我們兩地的經濟都是以服務業為主導，我們都定位於作為廣闊腹地的通道。香港是許多國際公司進軍中國市場的窗口，反之亦然，荷蘭是通往歐洲、特別是德國的門檻。

香港和荷蘭享有廣泛的經濟連繫，現時有許多荷蘭跨國公司在香港設立其亞洲或太平洋總部，我們還看到越來越多的中小企業在香港開設店舖。這些公司主要從事金融服務、創意工業(建築、設計和時裝)、農業、運輸和物流、廢物管理和可持續性。荷蘭公司視香港為家並雄心勃勃地以香港為進一步擴展亞洲業務的踏腳石。反之亦然，一些大型的香港公司已在荷蘭投資，為當地創造就業機會和創造財富方面作出貢獻！

除貿易和經濟關係外，兩地的文化連繫，無論是音樂和藝術領域都有增加的趨勢。在認真的努力下，把世界著名的「北海爵士音樂節」帶進香港。此外，一些著名的荷蘭博物館亦期待與香港的同業有合作的可能性。

此外，香港與荷蘭還有許多人民與人民之間的聯繫；留學生在兩地往來旅行和旅遊業正在增加。

本人深切期望，香港與荷蘭現已享有的緊密關係能世代傳承下去，讓我們兩地人民為馬年的興旺而共同努力！

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Message from the Consul General of the Kingdoms of the Netherlands
The Netherlands celebrates King’s Day, 27 April

The Netherlands celebrates its National Day on April 27. Last year Her Majesty Queen Beatrix abdicated from the throne and her son, Willem-Alexander became our new King. After more than hundred years, the Netherlands has a King again as the head of State. The large Butch community in Hong Kong will surely bring a touch of orange, our national colour, to Hong Kong!

I want to seize this opportunity to commemorate the excellent relationship between the people and the governments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Hong Kong and the Netherlands have many things in common. We are both small in assize and have limited useable space. This makes us efficient and innovative when it comes to land exploitation and urban planning. Secondly, in economic terms, however we both punch way above our weights: both Hong Kong and the Netherlands have open, internationally oriented, innovative and vibrant economies. Our economies are service oriented and we position ourselves as Gateways to vast hinterlands. Whereas Hong Kong is the entrance for many international companies to the Chinese market and vice versa, the Netherlands is the gateway to Europe and Germany in particular.

Hong Kong and the Netherlands enjoy extensive economic ties. Many Dutch multinationals are present in Hong Kong With their Asia/Pacific headquarters. We see an increasing number of SME’s setting up shop in Hong Kong. Key sectors in which they operate are financial services, creative industry (architecture, design and fashion), agriculture, transport and logistics, waste management and sustainability. Dutch companies feel at home in Hong Kong, are filled with ambition and use Hong Kong as a stepping stone for further expansion in Asia. Vice versa, some major Hong Kong companies have invested in the Netherlands and contribute both in employment and wealth creation.

Besides the trade and economic relations there is an increasing trend to strengthen the bilateral cultural ties, both in the fields of music and art. A serious attempt is made to bring the world renowned North Sea Jazz festival to Hong Kong. By doing so a creative and commercial bridge is built between two major port cities in the world: Rotterdam and Hong Kong. Furthermore some famous Dutch museums are also looking for possibilities to cooperate with their Hong Kong counterparts.

Last but not least there are many people to people contacts between Hong Kong and the Netherlands. Students travel back and forth between our two constituencies and tourism is on the rise.

It is my profound with that Hong Kong and the Netherlands enjoy the close relationship that we have today for many generations to come! Let us jointly work for the prosperity of our people in the year of the Horse.

Wilfred Nohr
Consul-General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands