Chief Executive Carrie Lam began her Shanghai visit today by meeting Hong Kong people living in the Mainland city.
Accompanied by Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Patrick Nip and Director of the Chief Executive’s Office Chan Kwok-ki, Mrs Lam met 60 representatives of Hong Kong organisations and students to learn about their lives in Shanghai.
She told them the country’s economic development, opening-up policy and the Belt & Road Initiative have provided more opportunities for Hong Kong people on the Mainland.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will, through its Mainland offices, provide assistance to Hong Kong people on the Mainland.
It will follow up with central ministries to implement measures to help Hong Kong people study, work and live on the Mainland, she added.
Mrs Lam then visited the Shanghai DreamCenter’s exhibition hall. The large-scale development project involves the participation of Hong Kong’s business sector and is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
Mrs Lam later spoke at a gala banquet to celebrate the HKSAR’s 20th anniversary.
More than 200 guests attended, including officials from Shanghai and Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and Shandong, and Hong Kong people living in the eastern Mainland.
Mrs Lam said Hong Kong has maintained close ties and co-operation with Shanghai and the four provinces in economics and trade, culture, education and youth exchanges.
“Hong Kong is a service-oriented business hub with a rich pool of professional talents from all over the world as well as an international financial, trading and shipping centre, while Shanghai is the economic, financial, trading and shipping centre in the Mainland.
“I believe both places can give full play to their own strengths and complement each other to become the key cities along the Belt & Road. Hong Kong and the four provinces can also leverage on their own advantages in various industries and areas for mutual benefits.”
