The second China International Import Expo (CIIE) opened today (November 5) at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. Hong Kong has once again set up a Hong Kong Exhibition Area themed "Hong Kong In" inside the China Pavilion of the Country Pavilion for Trade and Investment to demonstrate the city's edge as the leading international commerce and trading platform in Asia and its role in bringing in foreign investment to the Mainland. Nearly 200 Hong Kong enterprises are participating in the Enterprise and Business Exhibition to tap new business opportunities.
 
     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, attended the opening ceremony of the CIIE and the Hongqiao International Economic Forum this morning. Accompanied by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, she introduced the theme and content of the Hong Kong Exhibition Area to President Xi Jinping and leaders of other countries and governments during their visit to the China Pavilion.
 
     More multimedia and interactive elements have been added to the Hong Kong Exhibition Area this year, such as curved projection screens, an interactive table and holograms to make the exhibition more lively and interesting for visitors to enjoy. Visitors can use the interactive devices to better understand Hong Kong's role, contributions and participation in the past 70 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China. The area also highlights the milestones and opportunities of Hong Kong's trade and economic development, including those brought about by the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
 
     An interactive game projection wall is also featured at the Hong Kong Exhibition Area, which allows visitors to take photos with personalised and animated backgrounds with a Hong Kong flavour. The backgrounds are generated by computers based on information collected from visitors. Six Hong Kong groups are also staging performances in contemporary dance, a cappella, Chinese and western percussion as well as jazz, classical and pop music to show Hong Kong's diversified art and cultural scenes.

     Themed "Opening-up and Innovation for Win-win Cooperation", the Hongqiao International Economic Forum comprised an opening ceremony and five parallel sessions. Mrs Lam spoke in a parallel session of the Forum titled "Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Innovative Development". She shared with the forum participants the efforts of the Government to promote the development of AI in Hong Kong and its determination to take the lead in the use of AI and related technologies. She said that a world-class research cluster focusing on AI and robotics called AIR@InnoHK will be established at the Hong Kong Science Park and that the Government has set up a Smart Government Innovation Lab to explore the application of AI and relevant technologies. A new funding scheme has also been launched to support and encourage further research and development collaboration between Hong Kong and the Mainland on projects related to AI.

     Mrs Lam also toured the Enterprise and Business Exhibition in the afternoon to learn more about the participation of Hong Kong enterprises. She visited the Hong Kong Product Zone and the Hong Kong Services Zone set up by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, as well as a booth set up by the Hong Kong Tourism Board to promote Hong Kong's diversified travel products.

     She was pleased to learn that the Hong Kong Product Zone and the Hong Kong Services Zone are altogether 70 per cent bigger in size compared with the previous year, attracting the participation of 47 Hong Kong companies and organisations; a 27 per cent increase over the previous year. Together with about 140 enterprises, which registered for participation with the organiser directly, there are nearly 200 Hong Kong enterprises taking part in the exhibition. She said she hopes that Hong Kong enterprises can realise more business opportunities through the CIIE.
 
     The Hong Kong Services Zone features 16 Hong Kong exhibitors that are showcasing various Hong Kong services such as infrastructure and architecture, logistics services, design, professional services and information and communications technology. The Hong Kong Product Zone mainly showcases food products from 31 Hong Kong exhibitors, of which 15 are food enterprises joining the CIIE for the first time to promote quality food products manufactured in Hong Kong.
 
     Mrs Lam and Mr Yau will attend a dinner hosted by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government this evening for representatives of Hong Kong chambers of commerce and enterprises participating in the Enterprise and Business Exhibition. The second CIIE will be open till November 10.

Ends/Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Issued at HKT 17:57

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