Chief Executive John Lee today led a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government delegation to attend the 2023 Pan-Pearl River Delta (PPRD) Regional Co-operation Chief Executive Joint Conference in Guiyang, Guizhou Province.

Themed "Embark on New Journey & Pursue New Prospects through Co-operation", this year's joint conference endorsed seven key tasks.

Mr Lee said: "PPRD regional co-operation provides the most ideal opportunities and platform for facilitating Hong Kong's active integration into national development."

Outlining Hong Kong's development with respect to the PPRD, Mr Lee said that in the finance field, Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing launched the Hong Kong Dollar-Renminbi Dual Counter Model last month to allow investors to trade securities of the same issuer in both currencies.

PPRD enterprises are encouraged to make good use of Hong Kong as the preferred fund-raising platform for financing and overseas business development, he added.

On maritime, aviation and logistics, the Chief Executive mentioned that Hong Kong will actively promote co-operation between Hong Kong International Airport and other cities in the Greater Bay Area.

In addition, Hong Kong will achieve complementarity with the PPRD region's railway-sea transport network to promote the New Land-Sea Corridor and the Belt & Road Initiative, and provide comprehensive support for local enterprises along the New Land-Sea Corridor through high-end shipping and high value-added supporting services.

In terms of innovation and technology, since the resumption of normal travel with the Mainland, the Hong Kong SAR Government has signed three pacts with PPRD provinces and municipalities to promote higher-level innovation and technology co-operation.

With the data centre projects under construction and the robust network facilities, it is believed that Hong Kong could contribute to the bay area's big data and digital economy, Mr Lee noted.

In the afternoon, the Chief Executive met Guangdong Province Governor Wang Weizhong. He told Mr Wang that Hong Kong's Steering Group on Integration into National Development, which he chairs, has achieved fruitful results such as the Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles which promotes connectivity in the bay area. He also thanked the Guangdong Provincial Government for its continuous support for Hong Kong's work.

Mr Lee then met Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Chairman Lan Tianli. He expressed gratitude to the autonomous region government for its support to the Guangxi Liaison Unit set up by the Hong Kong SAR Government, adding that Hong Kong will continue to promote exchanges between the two places through the liaison unit.

The delegation returned to Hong Kong in the evening.

https://www.news.gov.hk

.

(C) 2023 M2 COMMUNICATIONS, source M2 PressWIRE