THE HONG KONG ADVANTAGE: ADVERTISING FEATURE I AM truly delighted to be in Australia, to renew and reinforce our long-standing friendship.
Australia and Hong Kong enjoy close ties. About 90,000 Australians live in Hong Kong while about 80,000 people of Hong Kong origin reside in Australia. They foster cross-cultural ties between us. 
The New Colombo Plan (NCP) launched by Australia in 2013 also enhances people-to-people links through scholarship schemes and internship in the region. I am pleased to note that Hong Kong has been one of the most popular destinations for NCP scholars, receiving 12 NCP scholars in 2014 and another 10 this year. At the same time, Australia is also a popular destination among Hong Kong students who wish to study overseas.
Young people from Hong Kong and Australia are benefiting under a bilateral Working Holiday Scheme which provides them with an invaluable opportunity to gain a first-hand living and working experience in a different economy. Since its inception, tens of thousands of Hong Kong youths have spent a working holiday in Australia, outnumbering all our other partner countries.
Our trade and business relations are equally strong. In 2014, bilateral trade in goods and services between Hong Kong and Australia reached $A8.5 billion. That year, Hong Kong was Australia's sixth-largest investor and ninth-largest source of tourists.
When it comes to Australian food and beverage, Hong Kong seems to have an insatiable appetite for your seafood and wine. In fact, Hong Kong is the second-largest market for Australian fish and crustaceans and the largest for prepared or preserved seafood. In addition, Australia is Hong Kong's second-largest source of wine. We appreciate Australian quality.
Hong Kong is also a superb showcase for Australian firms to promote their high-quality goods and services to consumers across Asia. That is why more than 1500 Australian companies operate in Hong Kong. I encourage more Australian businesses to take advantage of the Hong Kong platform.
Hong Kong is an ideal gateway for Australian companies interested in trade with China. Our connections with the Mainland lie not only in our geographical proximity and efficient infrastructure but also extend to language, culture, market intelligence and information. Needless to say, the "one country, two systems" arrangement has given Hong Kong unique advantages.
Hong Kong is, of course, not just about business. With its iconic harbour and skyline, beautiful countryside, amazing geoparks, outlying islands, enchanting local festivals and well-deserved reputation as a food paradise, Hong Kong packs surprising diversity. It is well worth a visit.
I am also excited that, for the first time in Hong Kong, people can enjoy close encounters with Aussie creatures such as koalas, wallabies and kookaburras at the new Adventures in Australia theme area at our Ocean Park. I am happy to report that these animals - precious gifts from Australia - are adapting well.
I look forward to strengthening our ties with this great nation.* Carrie Lam is the Chief Secretary for Administration, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region