​The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, led a delegation this morning (March 2) to conduct his first visit to Macao since the implementation of the full resumption of normal travel. Members of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government delegation included the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung; the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung; and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms Carol Yip.
           
     The delegation led by Mr Lee arrived in Macao via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB). They first visited the latest tourism, convention and exhibition facilities to learn about Macao's new developments in promoting tourism and culture.
      
     Afterwards, Mr Lee met with the Chief Executive of the Macao SAR, Mr Ho Iat-seng, to have an in-depth discussion on promoting Hong Kong's co-operation with Macao and the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). During the meeting, Mr Lee said that with the full resumption of normal travel between Hong Kong and Macao, now is the perfect time to deepen tourism co-operation between the two places and promote multi-destination tourism in the GBA, jointly contributing to achieving the goal of developing a world-class bay area for leisure, as set out in the country's Culture and Tourism Development Plan for the GBA.
      
     Mr Lee added that since the commissioning of the HZMB, the land transportation between Hong Kong, Macao and the west bank of the Pearl River has been opened, and the distance between the three places has been shortened. Hong Kong has always strongly supported the cross-boundary transportation arrangements and measures of the HZMB to meet the needs of local residents, travellers and trades, and maximise the economic and transport benefits of the HZMB, as a way of fostering commercial and cultural exchanges between the three places.
      
     "Being special administrative regions of the country, both Hong Kong and Macao will leverage on their unique advantages under 'one country, two systems' and further strengthen the co-operation between the two places, with a view to generating stronger impetus for the high-quality development of the GBA and making greater contributions to national development," said Mr Lee.
      
     Mr Lee and the delegation then attended a luncheon hosted by Mr Ho Iat-seng, and returned to Hong Kong in the afternoon.

Ends/Thursday, March 2, 2023
Issued at HKT 16:10

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