Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak attended the kick-off ceremony of an entrepreneurship event for Hong Kong and Macau youths in Hengqin, Zhuhai this morning.

Themed “New Quality Productive Forces Strive for High-quality Development”, the event aims to help Hong Kong and Macau youths who are developing their careers in Guangdong to engage in exchanges and gain further understanding of the industry development of Guangdong Province through visits, research and discussions.

This will enable them to deepen their knowledge of new productivity, thereby facilitating their active integration into the Greater Bay Area (GBA) development.

Speaking at the ceremony, Miss Mak said young people are an important driving force for the country’s high-quality development.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government aims to provide more comprehensive support for Hong Kong youths through new rounds of two schemes - the Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the GBA and the Funding Scheme for Experiential Programmes at Innovation & Entrepreneurial Bases - helping them pursue innovation and entrepreneurship in the bay area, she added.

Miss Mak also noted that around 100 activities have been planned or held in Hong Kong and Guangdong by member organisations of the Alliance of Hong Kong Youth Innovation & Entrepreneurial Bases in the Greater Bay Area since its launch last year.

Gathering around 60 member organisations, the alliance was jointly established by the Home & Youth Affairs Bureau, the People's Government of Guangdong Province Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office, and Guangdong's Human Resources & Social Security Department.

Miss Mak finished her visit and returned to Hong Kong today.