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The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Carrie Lam, continued her visit to London, the United Kingdom (UK) on November 13 (London time).
Mrs Lam called on the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Dr Vincent Cable, in the morning to exchange views on promoting further co-operation between Hong Kong and the UK, particularly in some new economic areas like creative industries, environmental services and technology. She also briefed him on the priority accorded by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to promoting the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement which offered equal business opportunities to foreign companies incorporated in Hong Kong.
Mrs Lam then visited "More London", a new business district, 53 000 square metres in size, transformed from an old urban area on the south bank of the River Thames. Apart from its efficient space design and eco-friendly design of buildings, "More London" offers public programmes for the local community and integrates art space in the commercial area. Mrs Lam also took a tour around the "Better Bankside", a Business Improvement District jointly managed by a board of business occupiers in the area.
At a roundtable luncheon hosted by the Chairman of the Trustees of the Royal Academy of Arts, Lord Mervyn Davies of Abersoch, Mrs Lam met with a number of cultural and creative community leaders in the UK. She updated them on the progress of the West Kowloon Cultural District and Hong Kong's development in the design field. She also invited them to seize the unprecedented opportunities in the fast-growing culture and creative industries in Hong Kong and enhance collaboration between the two places in strengthening the cultural and creative software. She appealed to representatives of arts institutions present to provide more training opportunities for arts administrators from Hong Kong.
In the afternoon, Mrs Lam attended a forum hosted by the British Council during which she explained to some 100 students attending on the education and career opportunities available in Hong Kong, in particular the city's attractiveness as a regional education hub with some of the best universities in the Asia-Pacific region and a globalised trade, business and financial centre at the doorstep Mainland China.
Mrs Lam met with a group of around 40 Hong Kong students studying in the UK after the forum. She encouraged them to return to Hong Kong after graduation and contribute to the development of the city.
Mrs Lam will continue her visit to London on November 14 (London time), addressing the Annual Dinner of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.
Ends/Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Issued at HKT 08:11
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