¡§Hong Kong has emerged for us as a particularly important strategic centre, not just for China and not just for Asia, but worldwide. The headquarters of our global life insurance business is Hong Kong and one of our major investment activities is also Hong Kong-based and it reaches across continents. We are putting ourselves fully into the Asian context with Hong Kong at the brain centre of our activities.¡¨

Speaking at the 16th Plenary Session of the Hong Kong - United States Business Council in Atlanta, Georgia, on 28 June 2001.