The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (August 27) continued her visit to Tianjin.

     Accompanied by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, Mrs Lam had a breakfast meeting with the Director of the General Administration of Sport of China, Mr Gou Zhongwen. Mrs Lam expressed her gratitude to Mr Gou for inviting her to attend the opening ceremony of the 13th National Games and said she believed that athletes from Hong Kong and other areas in the Mainland would equally enjoy the opportunities to compete and learn from each other in the Games to enhance their technical level. 

     She also thanked the General Administration of Sport of China for its support in arranging for members of the national teams to participate in a number of sports events and demonstration performances in celebration of Hong Kong's return to the motherland. Noting that elite athletes of the country have always been popular among members of the public, Mrs Lam expressed the hope that more athletes from the Mainland would take part in Hong Kong’s sports events in the future.

     Mrs Lam and the other officials then visited Hong Kong athletes at the Athletes' Village to show support for them. Remarking that the Hong Kong delegation to the National Games is the biggest ever, she encouraged the Hong Kong athletes to try their best in competition to scale new heights and bring honour home. She also said that the Government will continue to invest substantially to support sports development, nurture elite athletes, and proceed with the construction of the Kai Tak Sports Park to attract more major sports events to be staged in Hong Kong.

     In the afternoon, Mrs Lam and Mr Chan visited the Tianjin International Joint Academy of Biomedicine (TJAB). Specialising in research and development, attracting talents and nurturing technology-based start-ups, the TJAB signed a co-operation agreement with the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation in 2015 to promote exchanges between young entrepreneurs of Hong Kong and the Mainland, explore business opportunities for enterprises and boost the development of innovation and technology in Hong Kong and Tianjin.

     Mrs Lam and Mr Chan then met with representatives of Hong Kong organisations in Tianjin to learn about their everyday lives and work on the Mainland. Noting that the Tianjin Liaison Unit of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government started to operate in February this year, she said she hoped it would provide comprehensive services to Hong Kong people in Tianjin.

     In the evening, Mrs Lam, Mr Lau and Mr Chan attended the opening ceremony of the 13th National Games at the Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium.

     The 13th National Games is being held in Tianjin from today to September 8. Top athletes from all over the country are competing for the highest honours in 33 major sports events. The Hong Kong delegation, comprising 254 athletes and 104 officials and medical staff, will take part in 22 final competitions. This is the sixth time that the HKSAR has joined the National Games since its establishment in 1997.

     Mrs Lam and the other officials will watch a wushu (taolu) event tomorrow morning (August 28) to cheer for Hong Kong athletes. Mrs Lam and Mr Chan will return to Hong Kong after the event.

Ends/Sunday, August 27, 2017
Issued at HKT 20:30

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