PRESS RELEASE

Interest on Tax Reserve Certificates

******************************************

The Government Gazette published today (December 1) contains a Legal Notice to the effect that the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury has authorised a change in the rate of interest payable on Tax Reserve Certificates. As from December 4, 2006, the new annual rate of interest will be 2.6000% as against the current rate of 2.8500%, that is the new rate will be $0.2166 per month per $100.

Tax Reserve Certificates bear simple interest and interest is calculated monthly (including part of a month) from the date of purchase to the date of payment of tax.

Interest is only credited when certificates are used to pay tax and no interest is due where the principal value of a certificate is repaid to its holder.

The rate of interest payable on Tax Reserve Certificates is periodically revised in line with the market trend. Currently, it is reviewed every month based on the average prevailing interest rate for the six-month time deposit below $100,000 offered by the three note-issuing banks.

The new rate will apply to all certificates purchased on or after December 4, 2006. Certificates which were purchased before December 4, 2006 will continue to earn interest at the rates prevailing on their respective purchase dates. More interest rate information can be found in the Inland Revenue Department website (www.ird.gov.hk). The public can also obtain a copy of Tax Reserve Certificate Interest Rate Table from our 24-hour information hotline at 1878033. What follows is a summary of the interest rates for the past months:-

for certificates purchased
on or after August 1, 2005
and before September 5, 2005,

1.6000% per annum

for certificates purchased
on or after September 5, 2005
and before October 3, 2005,

1.8500% per annum

for certificates purchased
on or after October 3, 2005
and before November 7, 2005,

2.1333% per annum

for certificates purchased
on or after November 7, 2005
and before December 5, 2005,

2.4000% per annum

for certificates purchased
on or after December 5, 2005
and before January 3, 2006,

2.7500% per annum

for certificates purchased
on or after January 3, 2006
and before December 4, 2006;
and

2.8500% per annum

for certificates purchased
on or after December 4, 2006
until further notice.

2.6000% per annum

This is always subject to the general rule that interest ceases to accrue after 36 complete months.

Ends/Friday, December 1, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:58

NNNN