The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Economic Development, Panel on Financial Affairs, Panel on Commerce and Industry, and Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting will conduct a three-day joint-Panel duty visit to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area from April 20 to 22 (Friday to Sunday).

     The governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and the National Development and Reform Commission, signed the Framework Agreement on Deepening Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Cooperation in the Development of the Bay Area in Hong Kong in July 2017.  The Bay Area covers the nine adjoining cities in the Pearl River Delta Region, namely Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing as well as the two Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao. It has abundant room for development and rich land resources, providing an enormous market for Hong Kong's financial and high-end services industries.  It also enables Hong Kong to diversify its industries, in particular for promoting innovation and technology development. 

     In view of the strategic significance of the Bay Area development to Hong Kong, the purpose of the duty visit is for Members to visit five cities in the Bay Area, namely Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, Dongguan and Zhongshan, to see for themselves the latest development of the Bay Area.  Members will also take the opportunity to meet with representatives of the Guangdong Provincial Government as well as the Municipal Governments of the five cities to exchange views on issues of mutual concern.

     The delegation will visit the following places:
 
Shenzhen

• WeBank
• Shenzhen Traffic Police Intelligent Traffic Command Center
• Huawei Bantian Headquarters

 
Dongguan

• Songshan Lake Xbot Park
• Songshan Lake Eco-city Science Museum
• China Spallation Neutron Source facility

 
Zhongshan

• Tsui Hang New District Planning Exhibition Centre
• Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link West Landing Point
• Qingsheng transportation hub in Nansha district

 
Foshan

• Lingnan Tiandi
• Sanshan New City Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Technology Exhibition and Exchange Center

 
Guangzhou

• EHang Intelligent Technology Co. Ltd.
• Cultural landmarks in Zhujiang New Town
• Guangzhou South Railway Station

 
     The joint-Panel delegation is led by the delegation leader, Mr ‍Jeffrey Lam, who is also the Chairman of the LegCo Panel on Economic Development.  Other participating Panel members include the Chairman of Panel on Commerce and Industry, Mr Wu Chi-wai; the Chairman of Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting, Mr Charles Mok; the Chairman of Panel on Financial Affairs, Mr ‍Kenneth Leung; the Deputy Chairman of Panel on Financial Affairs, Mr Christopher Cheung; the Deputy Chairman of Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting, Dr Elizabeth Quat; the Deputy Chairman of Panel on Economic Development, Mr Alvin Yeung; the Deputy Chairman of Panel on Commerce and Industry, Mr Shiu Ka-fai; Mr Chan Kin-por; ‍Mrs Regina Ip; Mr Paul Tse; Mr‍ Michael Tien; Mr Steven Ho; Mr Yiu Si-wing; Mr Ma Fung-kwok; Mr Dennis Kwok; Mr ‍Martin Liao; Dr Lo Wai-kwok; Mr ‍Jimmy Ng; Mr Holden Chow; Ms Yung Hoi-yan; Mr Chan Chun-ying; and Mr Lau Kwok-fan as well as non-Panel members Professor Joseph Lee, Mr‍ Leung Che-cheung, Dr Helena Wong, Mr Ip Kin-yuen, Mr Poon Siu-ping, Mr Ho Kai-ming, Mr Lam Cheuk-ting, Mr Kenneth Lau and Mr Vincent Cheng.

     Meanwhile, at the invitation of the joint-Panel delegation, the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip; the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang; the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr ‍James Lau; and the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, will also join the duty visit.

Ends/Thursday, April 19, 2018
Issued at HKT 18:30

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