Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing started his Guangzhou visit programme today by witnessing the signing of an agreement fostering exchanges between the civil servants of Hong Kong and Guangzhou.

Mr Cheuk first met Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO) of the State Council Deputy Director Wang Linggui and Guangdong Vice-Governor Feng Ling to exchange views on deepening the co-operation between Guangdong and Hong Kong, and promoting the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

Witnessed by Mr Wang, Ms Feng and Mr Cheuk, Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung and Guangdong HKMAO Director General Li Huanchun signed the Agreement on Civil Service Staff Exchange & Collaboration Programme with the Mainland Municipalities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to deepen exchanges between civil servants of both places in different fields and support the high-quality development of the GBA.

Mr Cheuk noted that the Civil Service Staff Exchange Programme, jointly-organised with Mainland cities of the GBA, is the first civil servant exchange programme since the full resumption of normal travel between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

It provides in-depth exchange opportunities for civil servants from both places to broaden their horizons and promote mutual understanding between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the governments of GBA Mainland cities.

In his speech at the opening ceremony of the third GBA Culture & Arts Festival at the Guangdong Friendship Theatre this evening, Mr Cheuk said that this year's festival is significant as it is the first large-scale cultural event jointly organised by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau after the full resumption of normal travel between the Mainland and Hong Kong.

He added that the Hong Kong SAR Government is formulating at full speed a Blueprint for Arts & Culture & Creative Industries Development to enhance the ecosystem for the industries, and that the Government is fully committed to developing Hong Kong into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange with support from the National 14th Five-Year Plan.

He pointed out that the Hong Kong SAR Government will host the fourth GBA Culture & Arts Festival next year and is eagerly looking forward to working with the GBA cities to present a rich array of cultural and artistic projects, enhance the cultural soft power of the GBA and achieve the goal of jointly developing a cultured bay area.