CE continues visit to Beijing (with photos/videos)
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At noon, Mrs Lam and other officials met with the Minister of Commerce, Mr Zhong Shan, and attended a lunch hosted by him. Noting that the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) has been pivotal to Hong Kong’s economic development, Mrs Lam thanked the Ministry of Commerce for signing two new agreements under the framework of CEPA with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in June this year, namely the Investment Agreement and Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation, further extending the preferential treatment to Hong Kong in relevant areas in the Mainland. The HKSAR Government would continue to work closely with the Ministry of Commerce on the implementation of the two agreements.
Mrs Lam and the other officials also met with the Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Mr He Lifeng, to discuss Hong Kong’s role in the country’s Belt and Road Initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area this afternoon. On the Belt and Road Initiative, both sides agreed to discuss the signing of a co-operation agreement. Building on Hong Kong’s advantages, the agreement will identify the major areas of co-operation to fully leverage Hong Kong’s competitive edges. Regarding the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area, noting that the HKSAR Government attaches great importance to the work in relation to the development plan for the Bay Area, Mrs Lam said she looked forward to maintaining close contact with the NDRC to exchange views with it on issues relating to the development plan to ensure that Hong Kong’s unique role and functions under the 13th Five-Year Plan would be fully utilised.
Mrs Lam will continue her visit to Beijing tomorrow (August 9) and return to Hong Kong in the evening.
Ends/Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Issued at HKT 22:14
Issued at HKT 22:14
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