HONG KONG: John Lee Ka-chiu, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, will lead principal officials to visit the Chinese mainland city of Chongqing for three days starting on Wednesday to establish a cooperation mechanism between the two cities.
The mechanism will be the third set up by the HKSAR with Chinese municipalities directly under the central government, following ones created with Beijing and Shanghai, Lee told the weekly executive council meeting on Tuesday.
The Hong Kong delegation will include Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah, and Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong.
They will attend the first High-Level Meeting of the First Plenary Session of the Hong Kong/Chongqing Cooperation Conference, meet with leaders of Chongqing and visit local facilities and projects, including those related to logistics, innovation and technology.
Lee said Hong Kong has emphasized cooperation and exchange with Chongqing and established the Chongqing Liaison Unit in 2012.Hong Kong is also Chongqing’s largest non-local direct investor.
Chongqing has geographical advantages as it is favorably located at the intersection of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Yangtze River Economic Belt, said Lee, adding that the city is also the key strategic point for development in the country’s western region. With the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle and Hong Kong’s international environment, the southwest region could bring opportunities to various sectors in the SAR, Lee added.
Also during Tuesday’s meeting, Lee revealed that he will inaugurate a new “interactive question-and-answer session” in the Legislative Council to improve communication between the chief executive and lawmakers. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
