Chief Executive John Lee today met the visiting Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies Heng Swee Keat. He hoped that Hong Kong and Singapore will continue multi-faceted co-operation to strengthen their very close ties.

Welcoming Mr Heng's visit to Hong Kong again following his previous visit in May 2019, Mr Lee thanked him for attending the seventh Belt & Road Summit on August 31.

Mr Lee noted that Hong Kong and Singapore have long enjoyed a close relationship. Bilateral trade between the two economies has grown steadily in recent years and Singapore has become Hong Kong's fourth largest trading partner.

Amid the epidemic, bilateral trade between the two places in 2021, amounting to over $483 billion, still recorded an increase of nearly 30% compared with the 2020 figure.

The Chief Executive said with the support from the central government, “one country, two systems” has been successfully implemented in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong will continue to bring its unique strengths under “one country, two systems” into full play to proactively integrate into the country's national development, leverage the support from the motherland and connect with the world.

Mr Lee added that Hong Kong will explore more opportunities for exchanges and collaboration with Singapore in a wide range of areas including trade and investment, financial services, education, culture, innovation and technology.

This evening, Financial Secretary Paul Chan hosted a dinner for Mr Heng and his wife.

Under the Belt & Road Initiative, Hong Kong looks forward to strengthening economic and trade co-operation with Singapore and other ASEAN countries on various fronts, and is actively seeking to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, said Mr Chan.