The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (March 5) attended the opening ceremony of the second session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing. She also visited a cultural and technological innovation park and took part in an exchange session at a financial institution.

     The second 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 of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

     Premier Li reviewed the work in 2018 in the government work report, including the substantive progress made in the development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the commissioning of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. On the promotion of regional co-ordinated development, the report noted that the development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will be implemented in 2019, strengthening regulatory interface, fostering efficient flows of factors of production and facilitating personnel exchange. Premier Li reiterated in the work report that the Central Government supports Hong Kong in seizing the immense opportunities brought about by the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and in giving full play to Hong Kong's advantages to fully enhance mutually beneficial co-operation with the Mainland. Mrs Lam said she was most encouraged, adding that the HKSAR Government will uphold the "One Country, Two Systems" principle to promote proactively the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

     In the afternoon, accompanied by the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, Mrs Lam toured Tianning No.1 Cultural and Technological Innovation Park. Revitalised from an idle power plant with the preservation of industrial heritage, including the main plant and power generation boilers, the site has been transformed into an open-plan industrial park for projects featuring cultural-financial and cultural-technological integration. Mrs Lam visited a media creative workshop and an art performance venue in the park and exchanged views with the persons-in-charge there.

     Mrs Lam then attended a seminar organised by Bank of China, at which she briefed more than 300 participants, including the bank management and staff members as well as enterprise representatives, on the vision and actions of the HKSAR Government. Stressing that Hong Kong possesses unique advantages under "One Country, Two Systems" and various traditional strengths, Mrs Lam said the city will strive to boost its external relations and proactively participate in and contribute to the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. On the financial services industry, Mrs Lam pointed out that Hong Kong is an international centre for banking, asset and wealth management as well as insurance and risk management, with leading global offshore Renminbi business and capital markets, and is promoting the development of the bond market, green finance and financial technology. She said that Hong Kong will seize the opportunities brought about by the country's relaxation of market access in the financial industry and strive to enhance and consolidate Hong Kong's financial services.

     In the evening, Mrs Lam attended a dinner hosted by the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong. She will continue her visit to Beijing tomorrow (March 6).

Ends/Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Issued at HKT 20:54

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