The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, departed Shanghai for Nanjing this morning (November 2) to attend the second Jiangsu-Hong Kong Summit on Interconnected Development. She also met with the leaders of Jiangsu Province and exchanged views with Hong Kong businessmen in Jiangsu.

     Upon arriving in Nanjing, Mrs Lam, accompanied by the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, met with the Secretary of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, Mr Lou Qinjian. Noting the frequent economic and trade exchanges between Jiangsu and Hong Kong, she said that Hong Kong is not only the major source of external investment of Jiangsu, but also a key platform for Jiangsu enterprises to "go global", and that the two places also have close co-operation in the areas of youth, education and culture. She expressed gratitude to the leaders of Jiangsu Province for visiting Hong Kong twice in the past two years and proactively exploring with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government concrete collaboration projects. She said that she hopes her trip will help enhance co-operation in various areas between the two places.

     Afterwards, Mrs Lam toured a photo exhibition on co-operation between Jiangsu and Hong Kong. Before attending a lunch hosted by Mr Lou, Mrs Lam witnessed with him the signing of the 7th Jiangsu-Hong Kong Cooperation Joint Meeting minutes between the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Jiangsu Province.

     In the afternoon, Mrs Lam and the other officials met with Hong Kong businessmen in Jiangsu to learn about their living and work there, and to listen to their views. Mrs Lam pointed out that the Central Government have in recent years introduced a number of measures to facilitate the development of Hong Kong people living in the Mainland, adding that most of these measures have been fully implemented in Jiangsu, with the support of the Government of Jiangsu Province. Mrs Lam encouraged them to share their experience in the Mainland with other Hong Kong people and promote more exchanges between the two places.

     Next, Mrs Lam and Mr Nip met with the Governor of Jiangsu Province, Mr Wu Zhenglong. Mrs Lam thanked him for the importance he attaches to collaboration between Jiangsu and Hong Kong. Mr Wu led a delegation to visit Hong Kong in April last year and held a three-day carnival to promote the culture of Jiangsu to Hong Kong people.

     Mrs Lam and the other officials then attended the second Jiangsu-Hong Kong Summit on Interconnected Development organised by the Government of Jiangsu Province. They witnessed the signing of agreements on various investment co-operation projects between the two places including the Jiangsu-Hong Kong centre project. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mrs Lam said the successful implementation of various projects will bring closer economic and trade ties between the two places. In particular, the Jiangsu-Hong Kong centre project will help attract investment to Nanjing, while a centre for headquarters of Hong Kong-based enterprises as well as a scientific technology centre for youth of the project can serve as a key platform to introduce Hong Kong's professional services to Jiangsu. Through such efforts, Hong Kong can help Jiangsu enterprises connect to the world, thus diversifying and deepening the co-operation between the two places.

     Mrs Lam and the other officials attended a dinner hosted by Mr Wu in the evening. She will continue her visit to Nanjing tomorrow (November 3).

Ends/Saturday, November 2, 2019
Issued at HKT 20:04

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