After concluding her visit to Shanghai to attend activities of the 2nd China International Import Expo on November 5, the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, will depart for Beijing in the evening. The next day, she will be received by the Vice Premier of the State Council, Mr Han Zheng, in the morning and in the afternoon, she will attend the third plenary meeting of the Leading Group for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Leading Group). The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, will join the visit.

     The Leading Group, led by Mr Han, held the first and second plenary meetings in August last year and March this year respectively, endorsing a number of measures to facilitate Hong Kong people to develop, work and reside in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area, as well as strengthen the convenient flow of people and goods within the Greater Bay Area. These measures include the method for calculating payment of individual income tax in the Mainland, providing tax relief by municipal governments to non-Mainland (including Hong Kong) high-end talents and talents in short supply by offsetting the tax differential between the two places,  encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship in the nine Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area by the youth of Hong Kong and Macao, supporting higher education institutions and scientific research institutes from Hong Kong and Macao to participate in projects under Guangdong technology programmes and facilitating the use of Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents.

     Mrs Lam will return to Hong Kong on November 7. During her absence, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, will be the Acting Chief Executive.

Ends/Sunday, November 3, 2019
Issued at HKT 11:00

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