The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, will visit Sichuan and Thailand in mid-May.

     Mrs Lam will depart for Chengdu, Sichuan, in the evening on May 10 and return to Hong Kong in the morning on May 13. During her stay in Chengdu, Mrs Lam will attend the high-level meeting cum First Plenary of the Hong Kong-Sichuan Co-operation Conference. She will lead a delegation comprising members of the Executive Council and representatives of business chambers and sectors such as the creative and design industries and youth to meet with leaders of the Sichuan Provincial Government and attend the Hong Kong-Sichuan Trade and Investment Co-operation Symposium cum Signing and Launching Ceremony. Mrs Lam will also attend an exhibition and a sharing session on Hong Kong's post-earthquake reconstruction support work in Sichuan after the massive Wenchuan earthquake in 2008, as well as visit local higher education institutions.
 
     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung; the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang; the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan; and the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, will join parts of the visit. The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, will accompany Mrs Lam on the visit. During Mrs Lam and Mr Cheung's absence, the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, will be the Acting Chief Executive. Mr Cheung will be the Acting Chief Executive from his arrival in Hong Kong in the afternoon on May 12 until the return of Mrs Lam in the morning on May 13.

     In addition, Mrs Lam will depart for Bangkok, Thailand, in the evening on May 13 to attend and deliver a keynote speech at the opening of the Ministerial Segment of the 74th session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific the next day. During her stay in Bangkok, Mrs Lam will also meet with senior officials of the Thailand Government.
 
     Mrs Lam will return to Hong Kong in the afternoon on May 14. During her absence, Mr Cheung will be Acting Chief Executive.

Ends/Friday, May 4, 2018
Issued at HKT 18:18

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