Financial Secretary Paul Chan today met Hong Kong young people who started their businesses in the Mainland and attended a meeting of the first Pearl River International Trade Forum in Guangzhou.

In the morning, Mr Chan exchanged views with young Hong Kong entrepreneurs of the Guangzhou Hongkong & Macau Youth Association and the youth entrepreneurial teams of startup service platform Gungho Space.

He learnt more about their startup experience and work and life in the Mainland, as well as the challenges they faced and support they needed in starting businesses there.

Mr Chan said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government encourages the city’s youth to explore the opportunities in taking up employment and starting businesses in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to expand their options and room for career development.

Noting the Mainland’s facilitating policies and initiatives, he encouraged young people to grasp the precious opportunity, adding that the Hong Kong SAR Government will support and assist them.

He also attended a luncheon hosted by Guangzhou Executive Vice Mayor Zhang Yong.

In the afternoon, Mr Chan took part in the Forum on International Trade & Cooperation of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

In his opening remarks, he said the National 14th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong in enhancing its status as an international financial, trade and transportation centre and an international aviation hub, as well as promoting service industries for high-end and high value-added development.

Mr Chan pointed out that the Outline Development Plan for the bay area announced earlier also established Hong Kong’s status as an international aviation hub of the bay area.

He said Hong Kong will proactively integrate into the country’s overall development and achieve co-ordinated development with fellow bay area cities under the country’s dual circulation development strategy.

The plan will drive trade, aviation and logistics industries to the next level and develop the region into an international first-class bay area and a world-class city cluster.

Such a strategy will also sustain Hong Kong’s economic development while serving the country, Mr Chan added.