HONG KONG, March 7(Xinhuanet)-- The United States expects to make substantial progress at the Sixth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization(WTO) held in Hong Kong this December,a US official said here Monday.

Delivering a speech at Chinese University of Hong Kong, US Consul-General in Hong Kong, James R. Keith, said though the goal is achievable, it will require all WTO members to push very hard over the next several months to make sure they leave Hong Kong with an"endgame document" that will allow them to finalize the negotiations in all the areas covered by the Doha mandate before the end of next year.

By reviewing the trade agenda for President Bush's second term and the US-Hong Kong relationship, Keith said American foreign direct investment in the territory was 44.3 billion US dollars at the end of 2003. US exports last year were 13.5 billion US dollars,making Hong Kong the 14th largest trading partner of the United States.

Moreover, the United States has one of the largest American Chambers of Commerce in Asia, with 55,000 Americans living in HongKong, many of them working for the 1,100 US companies with Hong Kong branches."All these factors cement the US government's interest in Hong Kong's success," Keith said.

He also praised highly of the flexibility and entrepreneurship of the Hong Kong people."Hong Kong's rule of law, free economy and dynamic spirit have helped it weather two recessions since the1997 return to Chinese sovereignty. They have made Hong Kong a model for all of China."