Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Shanghai Municipal Talent Work Bureau in Hong Kong to deepen talent exchanges and co-operation between the two places.
 
Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun witnessed the signing of the pact by Shanghai Municipal Talent Work Bureau Deputy Director Tan Puzhen and HKTE Director Anthony Lau.
 
Mr Sun was joined by CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee Standing Committee Member and Organization Department Head Zhang Wei, and Director-General of the Educational, Scientific & Technological Affairs Department of the Central People’s Government Liaison Office in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Wang Weiming.
 
The MOU aims to deepen talent exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong and Shanghai by strengthening co-operation between the two places in global talent attraction, services, employment and development, with a view to jointly developing the two places into talent hubs.
 
Mr Sun noted that both places reached a consensus in April on talent co-operation, and agreed to establish a comprehensive partnership between departments of the two places as well as a regular dialogue mechanism to promote collaboration on nurturing talent and talent services.
 
He further pointed out that, from May 6, Mainland authorities extended the stay period for holders of an exit endorsement for business visit travelling to Hong Kong from seven days to 14 days and expanded the application of the exit endorsement for talent to Beijing and Shanghai.
 
“Together with the MOU signed today, such measures will further deepen talent exchanges between Hong Kong and Shanghai and promote the ‘southbound and northbound’ two-way flow of talent, which will facilitate talent in both places to pursue career, business and investment opportunities,” the labour chief added.
 
Additionally, both sides updated each other on the policy initiatives of attracting and supporting talent at the exchange session this morning.
 
They also discussed the areas for strengthened co-operation as well as collaboration with enterprises in Hong Kong and Shanghai to promote talent exchanges.