Palin to speak on economics, governance

HONG KONG, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin's keynote speech to a Hong Kong business group will cover governance, economics and current events, event officials say.

Palin is escheduled to address the 16th CLSA Investors' Forum Wednesday, where past speakers have included former U.S. President Bill Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore and British rock musician-activist Bob Geldof, CNN reported.

Simone Wheeler, head of communications for CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets, an independent international brokerage firm, told the U.S. broadcaster that Palin's speech on governance and economics fits the profile of speakers and topics sought by the firm for its conferences.

"What we look to do is invite our keynote speakers who we feel are opinion makers, who are newsworthy and who we feel our clients -- a very broad international client base -- would be interested in hearing from," Wheeler told CNN. "We certainly believe that Sarah Palin will be -- she has been in the news -- we believe that she will continue to be a newsmaker in the future and therefore someone we feel that is definitely of interest to fund managers."

Wheeler wouldn't reveal what Palin is being paid, and indicated the former Republican U.S. vice presidential candidate has elected to close the event to reporters.