Chief Executive John Lee, leading a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government delegation, continued his visit to Zhejiang today.
This morning, Mr Lee and Secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee Wang Hao attended the High-Level Meeting and the First Plenary Session of the Hong Kong/Zhejiang Co-operation Conference, witnessing the establishment of the Hong Kong/Zhejiang Co-operation Conference Mechanism.
During the meeting, Mr Wang, Mr Lee and Zhejiang Governor Liu Jie saw the signing of the Hong Kong/Zhejiang Co-operation Conference Mechanism, the Co-operation Memorandum of the High-Level Meeting & First Plenary Session of the Hong Kong/Zhejiang Co-operation Conference, as well as four co-operation agreements.
By entering into the mechanism, Hong Kong and Zhejiang reached consensus on 13 co-operation areas. Meanwhile, the four co-operation agreements cover areas of innovation and technology (I&T), housing, economic and trade co-operation, and youth development.
Mr Lee noted that the new mechanism symbolises a new stage of comprehensive exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong and Zhejiang, which is of great significance. He thanked Zhejiang Province and the Zhejiang Provincial Government for its importance and support attached to the mechanism, and said he looks forward to Hong Kong and Zhejiang working together and deepening co-operation on all fronts for mutual benefits.
He added that Hong Kong and Zhejiang will seize national opportunities and leverage their respective strengths to make new and greater contributions to the further reform and opening up of the country, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Furthermore, he stressed that Hong Kong will give full play to its role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” to continue serving Zhejiang in expanding international markets.
After the meeting, Mr Lee called on Hangzhou Mayor Yao Gaoyuan and attended a luncheon hosted by Mr Yao.
The Chief Executive said that Hangzhou has made rapid achievements in the fields of the digital economy and artificial intelligence (AI) in recent years, while the Hong Kong SAR Government, also developing the AI industry proactively, has been implementing a series of measures to support AI development. Mr Lee expressed his confidence in the huge potential for co-operation between Hong Kong and Hangzhou in I&T, adding that under the new co-operation mechanism, exchanges and collaboration between Hong Kong and cities in Zhejiang, including Hangzhou, will be even closer.
In the afternoon, Mr Lee arrived in Ningbo, where he visited a local high-end scientific instrument manufacturing enterprise to learn more about its business development and projects in the manufacturing and research of optical instruments.
He also met entrepreneurs of Ningbo descent, and commended Ningbo entrepreneurs for their significant contributions to Hong Kong’s economic and social development over the years.
In the evening, Mr Lee met Secretary of CPC Ningbo Municipal Committee Peng Jiaxue, and attended a dinner hosted by Mr Peng.
Mr Lee said he believes that entrepreneurs in Hong Kong and Ningbo will continue to scale new heights and forge closer ties and co-operation, and that Hong Kong and Ningbo can achieve complementarity to make greater contributions to the country’s high-quality development.
The Chief Executive will attend the Hong Kong Investment Promotion Conference – Zhejiang (Ningbo) Forum & Ningbo-Hong Kong Economic Co-operation Forum tomorrow.
