Representatives from around 60 countries will on Friday attend the signing of the convention to establish the International Organization for Mediation, which was initiated by Beijing.
At a question-and-answer session in the legislature, Lee stressed that the body will allow Hong Kong to strengthen its collaborative role in the international community, while also bringing major economic benefits.
“The is a momentous event. The organisation will help us bring together talent from different places,” he said.
“We will also be able to expand the influence of the organisation across the world. We can recommend talent to our country or to the organisation…if people have talent in mind, they’re welcome to recommend such talent to us.”
Separately, lawmakers said Hong Kong could boost its status as an education hub, noting a recent legal tussle between the US government and Harvard University.
Election Committee lawmaker William Wong, who’s also an academic, said the SAR can host more international academic conferences.
Lee said in response that as a pluralistic society, all sorts of conferences should be held here.
The CE also said he agreed with a suggestion from the DAB’s Edward Lau that the authorities should prioritise the development of a university town in Hung Shui Kiu, as part of the Northern Metropolis development.
Lau also proposed the setting up of a statutory authority to manage the development of the metropolis, mirroring the situation in Qianhai, Shenzhen.
He also called for enacting a specific Northern Metropolis law, so that the legislature would not have to go through amendments of different laws related to the area in future.
Lee thanked Lau for his proposals.
