Hong Kong’s chief executive has urged more enterprises from the Chinese mainland to make use of Hong Kong's international professional capabilities, open capital market and roles as a superconnector and super value-adder to meet the needs of their target markets and explore new business opportunities.
John Lee Ka-chiu made the call when he met CPC Beijing Municipal Committee Secretary Yin Li and Beijing Mayor Yin Yong to exchange views on deepening cooperation between Hong Kong and Beijing on Tuesday after arriving in the Chinese capital.
Pointing out that Beijing and Hong Kong have always maintained close cooperation, Lee said that the two cities have strengthened collaboration through the Hong Kong/Beijing Co-operation Conference mechanism.
The annual Beijing Hong Kong Economic Co-operation Symposium, held alternately in the two cities, is a platform for deepening bilateral economic and trade co-operation and promoting high-level mutual benefits, he said.
“The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government announced Hong Kong's first five-year plan in September to proactively align with the national 15th Five-Year Plan and deepen regional cooperation with the mainland.”
Lee also mentioned that the HKSAR government is advancing the establishment of “four centers and one hub”, and extending the Cross-sectoral Professional Services Platform to help mainland enterprises "go global" and attract international capital to Hong Kong.
The SAR government will continue to expand youth development work between the two cities, thereby supporting young people in seizing the opportunities presented by national development and enabling Hong Kong to better integrate into and serve that development, he added.
Executive Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office Xu Qifang was also present during the meeting.
Lee began his Beijing visit on Tuesday by touring the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center, where he visited the Beijing Library and the planning exhibition hall at the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee building. He learned about the overall planning, development and construction of cultural facilities at the center.
The Beijing Municipal Administrative Center is one of the capital's “two wings” in the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, he said, adding that the blueprint promotes higher-quality development and demonstrates the country's forward-looking and systemic deployment.
Highlighting that Hong Kong is advancing at full steam with the development of the Northern Metropolis (NM), the CE said the center's experience in aspects spanning overall planning and development, supporting infrastructure and the layout of public service facilities can be instructive for Hong Kong in NM's development.
