Financial Secretary Paul Chan on Wednesday said discussions during the two-day Apec Finance Ministers' Meeting were candid and substantive, covering macroeconomic policies, infrastructure financing and digital co-operation. Chan hailed the joint statement issued at the end of the meeting as a rare achievement, given the different positions and considerations of participating economies. He said the outcome would help promote cross-border financing and listings, as well as create opportunities for Hong Kong and mainland enterprises, along with city's professional services, to expand overseas. The financial secretary said members of the 21 participating Apec economies toured various parts of Hong Kong and came away with a very positive impression. He also said they found the meeting arrangements to be smooth and satisfactory. Chan said Hong Kong did a good job hosting the meeting, noting that organising such an event required considerable manpower and resources, with careful attention to making guests feel welcome. He said Hong Kong has a strong international reputation in hosting conferences and exhibitions, and that the presence of political leaders this time – as opposed to mostly business visitors in the past – would benefit future exchanges and co-operation. "The immediate benefits are visitor numbers and their spending, but the greater significance lies in how foreign business and political leaders view and understand Hong Kong," Chan told reporters at the end of the event. He said the meeting gave participants a better understanding of Hong Kong's unique position under "one country, two systems". Chan also said he highlighted Hong Kong's first five-year plan with the participants, and expressed confidence that after two days of exchanges, they had a positive and encouraging view of the city's development and economy. Edited by Edmond Fong