The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, led a delegation to begin a visit to Guiyang in Guizhou Province today (July 6). He met with leaders of Guizhou Province and several other Pan-Pearl River Delta (PPRD) Mainland provinces to enhance mutual exchanges. He also visited a local big data centre to learn more about the development of the big data industry in Guizhou, and visited a night market to experience local culture.
      
     In the morning, the delegation led by Mr Lee, accompanied by member of the Standing Committee and Head of the Publicity Department of the Guizhou CPC Provincial Committee, Mr Lu Yongzheng, visited the National Big Data (Guizhou) Comprehensive Pilot Zone Communication and Experience Center to learn more about the development and planning of Guizhou's big data industry, as well as how the province utilises big data to promote innovative development of various industries.
      
     Mr Lee then met with the Secretary of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee, Mr Xu Lin. Mr Lee expressed his gratitude to Guizhou Province for hosting the 2023 PPRD Regional Co-operation Chief Executive Joint Conference, wishing the conference a great success. He pointed out that Hong Kong is Guizhou's largest trading partner and largest source of external investment, accounting for 71.7 per cent of the cumulative foreign direct investment in the province. As an international financial, trade and shipping centre with a high-quality service sector and extensive international business rapport, Hong Kong is an effective platform for Guizhou's enterprises to enter the international market and for foreign investors to invest in Guizhou. He said he believed that Guizhou and Hong Kong can conduct further exchanges and co-operation in areas including innovation and technology, tourism and culture.
      
     In the afternoon, Mr Lee met with the governors of five PPRD Mainland provinces who attended the joint conference in Guizhou respectively. They were (in chronological order of meetings) the Governor of Sichuan Province, Mr Huang Qiang; the Governor of Yunnan Province, Mr Wang Yubo; the Governor of Hainan Province, Mr Liu Xiaoming; the Governor of Fujian Province, Mr Zhao Long; and the Governor of Jiangxi Province, Mr Ye Jianchun.
      
     In the meeting with the Governor of Sichuan Province, Mr Huang Qiang, Mr Lee said Sichuan and Hong Kong have a strong co-operation foundation and that exchanges between the two places have become closer since the Hong Kong-Sichuan Co-operation Conference mechanism was established. He held that the two places could leverage their own strengths and enhance exchanges and co-operation in such areas as trade and investment, innovation and technology, cultural and youth exchanges. He wished the 31st FISU World University Games to be held in Chengdu, Sichuan, in end-July a great success.
      
     Mr Lee then met with the Governor of Yunnan Province, Mr Wang Yubo. Mr Lee said that with its rich historical and cultural background as well as beautiful nature, Yunnan is a popular tourist destination for Hong Kong people and also a good place for Hong Kong's youth and students to learn more about the country's history and culture. He said that he looks forward to more exchanges and co-operation between both places on areas including trade and investment, logistics and transportation, and cultural tourism.
      
     In the meeting with the Governor of Hainan Province, Mr Liu Xiaoming, Mr Lee noted that the relationship between Hainan and Hong Kong has always been close, with frequent flows of people, goods and capital, adding that Hong Kong is the largest source of external investment in Hainan. He thanked the People's Government of Hainan Province for issuing offshore Renminbi local government bonds in Hong Kong last year, achieving mutual benefits for the two places. He pointed out that Hong Kong has a large pool of talent in professional services that they could contribute to the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port to bring mutual benefits to each other. 
      
     During the meeting with the Governor of Fujian Province, Mr Zhao Long, Mr Lee said that Hong Kong and Fujian have maintained close exchanges and co-operation in various aspects including trade and investment, cultural tourism and youth development. The Fourth Plenary Session of the Hong Kong/Fujian Co-operation Conference was held successfully in Hong Kong last month, at which the governments of the two places agreed to pursue holistic exchanges and co-operation in 10 key areas, and three co-operation agreements on culture, education and trade were signed by government departments and statutory bodies of the two places, enabling the relationship between Fujian and Hong Kong to reach new heights.
      
     Later, Mr Lee met with the Governor of Jiangxi Province, Mr Ye Jianchun. Mr Lee pointed out that Hong Kong has been the largest source of external investment and an important trading partner for Jiangxi for years, as well as the main capital market for Jiangxi enterprises being listed overseas. He expressed his hope that more Jiangxi enterprises can leverage on Hong Kong's advantages as a highly open and international city with an open and facilitating business environment as well as quality professional services to develop business opportunities. Noting that Jiangxi is a major source of food supply to Hong Kong, Mr Lee expressed his gratitude to the province for its contribution to ensuring needs of daily necessities of Hong Kong residents.
      
     In the evening, Mr Lee attended a dinner hosted by leaders of Guizhou Province for chief executives of PPRD Mainland provinces/regions and Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions. He then visited the Qingyun Market, a distinctive commercial district in Guiyang, to learn more about the city's experience in re-planning and reconstructing a former knitting factory into a core consumption space, and the diversified development of the market in introducing food and beverage and cultural creative brands.
      
     ​Mr Lee will attend the 2023 PPRD Regional Co-operation Chief Executive Joint Conference in Guiyang tomorrow (July 7). Members of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government delegation include the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau; the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung; the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong; the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms Carol Yip; and the Under Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Clement Woo.

Ends/Thursday, July 6, 2023
Issued at HKT 20:30

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