The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (March 5) attended the opening ceremony of the first session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) and conducted other activities in Beijing.

     The first session of the 13th NPC commenced in Beijing this morning. Premier Li Keqiang delivered the government work report in the meeting, which Mrs Lam attended as the Chief Executive. Mrs Lam said she was honoured to attend the meeting in her capacity as the Chief Executive for the first time. She thanked Premier Li for the support for Hong Kong in the government work report, in particular the support for the integration of Hong Kong into the development of the country, including the Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area to be promulgated and implemented. Mrs Lam said the development of the Bay Area would significantly foster the flow of people, goods, capital and information among the cities in the area, raising regional co-operation to new heights. During her meeting with the Secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, Mr Li Xi, and the Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Ma Xingrui, shortly after she arrived in Beijing yesterday (March 4), Mrs Lam said to them that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will collaborate fully in the development of the Bay Area and organise promotional activities in Hong Kong after the promulgation of the Development Plan.
      
     In the afternoon today, accompanied by the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, Mrs Lam paid a visit to WF Central, a commercial project developed by Hongkong Land, and learnt that its design connects with the history and environment of the Wangfujing area.
      
     Mrs Lam and the other officials later attended a seminar organised by the Committee of Youth Activities in Hong Kong to learn more about the experience of Hong Kong young people in studying and developing careers in the Mainland. She noted at the seminar that the Central Government supports the integration of Hong Kong into the development of the country, including the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area.  She expressed the view that better integration of Hong Kong into the development of the country will bring more development opportunities to the young people in Hong Kong. She said that the HKSAR Government will take up the roles of a "facilitator" and a "promoter" to help young people develop in the Mainland, including through the provision of more internships in units and enterprises in the Mainland. In addition, measures are being rolled out by various Central Authorities to enable Hong Kong people to live, work and study in the Mainland.
      
     In the evening, Mrs Lam attended a banquet held by the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong. She will continue her visit to Beijing tomorrow (March 6).

Ends/Monday, March 5, 2018
Issued at HKT 23:57

NNNN