The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, today (April 26) said that the three-day visit to Guangdong provided an opportunity for the social welfare sector to seize the advantages of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and deepen collaboration, with a view to expanding the scope and capacity of elderly and rehabilitation services to provide more quality options for Hong Kong people.

     Mr Sun led the Hong Kong social welfare sector delegation and visited Qianhai in Shenzhen on April 24 morning to learn more about its latest planning and developments, including start-up companies in the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub and its entrepreneurial support for youths. The delegation attended an exchange seminar on social welfare collaboration with the Civil Affairs Bureaux of the nine municipalities in the GBA hosted by the Department of Civil Affairs of Guangdong Province that afternoon in Guangzhou. They exchanged views on elderly and rehabilitation issues, and explored areas of collaboration between Guangdong and Hong Kong, thereby fully leveraging advantages of enjoying the strong support of the Motherland and promoting the joint development of social welfare in the GBA.

     The delegation visited a model ageing-in-place integrated service centre in Guangzhou yesterday morning (April 25), taking a closer look at how its community care services, including personal care, rehabilitation care and day respite service, assist the elderly to remain living in the community to enjoy their golden years. Mr Sun and the delegation then visited the Guangdong Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities and the Guangdong Rehabilitation and Education Center for Children with Disabilities to take a look at its education and training activities for children with different special needs. The delegation also visited the Guangdong Provincial Cultural Sports and Rehabilitation Assistive Devices Center for People with Disabilities to learn more about its rehabilitation training and therapy for persons with disabilities via robotics, assistive tools and technology products.

     In addition, the delegation visited a number of residential care homes for the elderly and persons with disabilities in Guangzhou and Zhongshan yesterday afternoon and today to look at different service models. Members discussed with care home operators possible areas of service collaboration. Yesterday evening, the delegation attended a thematic talk on long-term development opportunities for the Hong Kong welfare sector amid the planning and development of the GBA.

     Concluding the visit to Guangdong, Mr Sun said, "The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government currently provides various options and support to Hong Kong people retiring in the Mainland through the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong, the Guangdong Scheme and the Portable Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme. We should proactively integrate into the national development and grasp the development opportunities of the GBA. The Government will deepen co-operation, liaison and co-ordination with Guangdong to enhance the development of welfare services in both quality and quantity."

     The delegation comprised some 50 heads and high-level representatives from the social welfare sector. Mr Sun and the delegation returned to Hong Kong this afternoon.

Ends/Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Issued at HKT 18:00

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