SCMA officiates at opening ceremony of Shaanxi Liaison Unit cum HKSAR 20th anniversary gala dinner (with photos)
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     The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Raymond Tam, officiated at the opening ceremony of the Shaanxi Liaison Unit of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government cum HKSAR 20th Anniversary Gala Dinner today (April 26) in Xi'an, Shaanxi. The event signified the commencement of the full operation of the Shaanxi Liaison Unit and marked the beginning of a series of events in Xi'an in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR.
 
     During the visit, Mr Tam also met with the Vice Governor of the Shaanxi Provincial Government, Mr Wei Zengjun, and exchanged views with him on stepping up exchanges and co-operation between the two places.
 
     Speaking at the gala dinner, Mr Tam said that the objectives of the HKSAR Government in setting up the Liaison Unit in Shaanxi Province were to enhance government-to-government work between Hong Kong and Shaanxi, promote exchanges and co-operation on the economic, trade and cultural fronts, and provide services which would better suit the needs of Hong Kong residents and enterprises in Shaanxi.
 
     Mr Tam added that with the implementation of the strategy on the development of the western region in the Mainland and the Belt and Road Initiative, Shaanxi would play an important role in the country’s new strategy of opening up inland and facing Eurasia. He said that with the dual advantages of "one country" and "two systems", and as a highly internationalised city with a comprehensive legal system and quality professional talents, Hong Kong could provide services for the economic transformation of Shaanxi, assisting Shaanxi to "go global" and attracting foreign investment.
 
     Mr Tam also said that in the past 20 years, "one country, two systems" had been successfully implemented and co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong had become increasingly close. He believed that co-operation between Hong Kong and Shaanxi in various areas would scale new heights in the future.
 
     Hong Kong and Shaanxi have been maintaining close economic and trade relations. Hong Kong has all along ranked first among all countries and regions investing in Shaanxi in terms of number of projects, contract amount and foreign investment in actual use.
 
     Other officiating guests at the opening ceremony of the Shaanxi Liaison Unit cum HKSAR 20th Anniversary Gala Dinner included the Vice Governor of the Shaanxi Provincial Government, Mr Wei Zengjun; the Deputy Secretary-General of the Shaanxi Provincial Government, Mr Zhang Xiaoning; the Director-General of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, Shaanxi Provincial Government, Ms Yao Hongjuan; the Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Chengdu, Miss Pamela Lam; and the Director of the Shaanxi Liaison Unit, Miss Vanessa Tang.
 
     After the gala dinner, Mr Tam will attend an a cappella concert by the "Yat Po Singers" organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Chengdu and the Shaanxi Liaison Unit to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR.
 
     The Shaanxi Liaison Unit was set up under the purview of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Chengdu. Its temporary office is located at Rooms 1103-18, Capita Mall, No. 64 West Section of South 2nd Ring Road, Yanta District, Xi'an, Shaanxi.  Hong Kong people living in Shaanxi may contact the Shaanxi Liaison Unit by phone at (86 29) 8720 4883 or by email at snlu@cdeto.gov.hk for assistance and enquiries.

Ends/Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Issued at HKT 19:25

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