The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, continued her visit to Beijing today (April 27), where she was invited to deliver a speech at an exchange session organised by the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) and answered participants' questions.

     In the morning, Mrs Lam, accompanied by the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, addressed some 300 participants, including leaders and staff of the ACWF, female university students and grassroots women's representatives at the exchange session organised by the ACWF on the vision and actions of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. Introducing to them the HKSAR's unique advantage under "One Country, Two Systems" and its strengths, she said Hong Kong will continue to enhance its competitiveness in various aspects. She pointed out that the city will actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and shared her experience in the participation in the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in the last two days and in the promotion of the Greater Bay Area in Japan with the leaders of Guangdong and Macao at the beginning of the month. She also briefed the participants on women's education, employment and public office appointments in Hong Kong, as well as a series of support and family-friendly measures implemented by the current-term HKSAR Government.

     Mrs Lam then met with the ACWF's President, Ms Shen Yueyue, briefly after the exchange session and attended a lunch hosted by Ms Shen.

     In the afternoon, Mrs Lam met with the new Director of the Palace Museum, Mr Wang Xudong. Congratulating Mr Wang on assuming the office this month, she said she looked forward to the Palace Museum's continuous support under the leadership of Mr Wang for the establishment of the Hong Kong Palace Museum and collaboration with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department to launch more projects on heritage conservation, research, exhibitions and education to enhance Hong Kong people's knowledge of Chinese arts and culture. She invited Mr Wang to visit Hong Kong later to learn about the city's latest development in arts and culture. In addition, Mrs Lam met with Dr Shan Jixiang, the former Director of the Palace Museum who had retired recently, earlier in Beijing to thank him for his support for Hong Kong during his tenure of over seven years.

     After leading a HKSAR delegation to participate in the thematic forums of the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing on April 25, Mrs Lam attended the opening ceremony and the high-level meetings of the Forum with the Hong Kong delegates yesterday (April 26), and the welcome dinner hosted by President Xi Jinping and his wife for state leaders and senior officials with the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, and the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, in the evening. During the meetings in the last two days, Mrs Lam also met a number of participating leaders of the central ministries, regional governments and international organisations.

     Mrs Lam will go to Yanqing District tomorrow (April 28) to attend the opening ceremony of the 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition and return to Hong Kong on April 29.

Ends/Saturday, April 27, 2019
Issued at HKT 16:50

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