Hong Kong anti-globalisation activists are holding a series of meetings with international counterparts in South Korea to prepare for next month's WTO ministerial meeting in the city.
At least three members of the Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTO are in Pusan for talks with representatives of non-governmental organisations ahead of tomorrow's Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) forum meeting.
A spokeswoman for the umbrella group organising anti-WTO protests said: "There will be a number of briefings to update the NGOs on our preparations, such as what we are going to do and the protest routes.
"They are not just meeting South Korean groups. Many NGOs have gathered in Pusan. They will be holding discussions with whoever is interested in coming to Hong Kong."
Meanwhile, the government is preparing to spend $4 million on education and promotion to inform the public of special security and transport arrangements during the WTO summit, Financial Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen told the legislature yesterday.
Mr Tang stressed the importance of free trade to Hong Kong, and said if import tariffs on the city's top 10 exports were cancelled, local exporters could save up to $7.5 billion a year.
Top export goods include clothing, jewellery, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals and plastics, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances.
Textiles, paper and paper products, base metals and articles manufactured from them, optical, photographic and cinematographic instruments and apparatus, and clocks and watches are also at the top of the list.
Mr Tang said the government had no plans to open the postal service, or the education, water and social service sectors to foreign companies.
The government will hold a meeting with 19 NGOs accredited to the WTO next Monday. It will be attended by Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology John Tsang Chun-wah.South China Morning Post
