Vice Governor Song Hai met with Ichihara Hitoshi, Director and Managing Executive Officer of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd. (MSI), at provincial hall on May 8, 2008.

    Song expressed his welcome to the visiting guests and made a review regarding Guangdong’s economic development and insurance industry.

    Song also extended his congratulations to Ichihara on the official approval issued by China Insurance Regulatory Commission for the establishment of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance (China) Co., Ltd. Guangdong Branch.

    “Guangdong Provincial Government will continue to support MSI’s business operation in the province, which is a time-honored and powerful multinational with orderly operation,” Song said.

    “I wish the establishment of the Guangdong branch will further expand Guangdong Japan economic cooperation and promote social and economic development and the development of other programs in the province.”

    Song spoke highly of MSI’s high corporate social responsibility, saying MSI took the lead to express its sympathy and make donations to the disaster-hit areas in Guangdong when the worst snow disaster in the past eighty years struck the province at the beginning of this year as the advisory company to the International Consultative Conference on the Future Economic Development of Guangdong Province.

    Song extended his gratitude on behalf of provincial government to MSI.

    Ichihara expressed his appreciation to the great support of all the government departments concerned to MSI over the years, saying its Guangdong branch is expected to start operation this fall.

    It will bring over its cutting edge management experience and expertise achieved over the years in Japan and all over the world based on lawful business operation in order to make contribution to the development of insurance industry in the province, Ichihara added.

    Huang Hong, Director General of Provincial Insurance Regulatory Bureau, Su Caifang, Deputy Director General of GDFAO, and Ye Shuisheng, Deputy Director General of Provincial Financial Industry Service Office, attended the meeting.