The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met with the visiting Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies of Singapore, Mr Heng Swee Keat, today (April 12). Also present at the meeting were the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong; the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms Carol Yip; and the Consul General of Singapore in Hong Kong, Mr Ong Siew Gay.
      
     Mr Lee said he is pleased to meet with Mr Heng in Hong Kong again since they last met during his visit to Singapore in July last year. Noting that Hong Kong and Singapore have long enjoyed a close relationship, Mr Lee said Singapore has consistently been Hong Kong's largest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the bilateral trade in goods between the two places in 2023 amounted to HK$394.7 billion. He added that Hong Kong will continue to make every effort to strengthen multifaceted co-operation with Singapore, in particular in the areas of green and digital economies and other emerging industries.
      
     Mr Lee also expressed his gratitude to Singapore for its continued support for Hong Kong's early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, with a view to making greater contributions to regional co-operation and creating impetus for growth in Hong Kong.
      
     Mr Lee noted that China-Singapore relations have been upgraded to an All Round High Quality Future Oriented Partnership last year. He pointed out that under "one country, two systems", Hong Kong has the distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world. Hong Kong will give full play to its role as a "super connector" and "super value-adder", thereby contributing to the promotion of mutually beneficial economic growth between the country and Singapore.
 

Ends/Friday, April 12, 2024
Issued at HKT 16:30

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