CE meets Governor of Shandong Province (with photo)

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met the Governor of Shandong Province, Mr Zhou Naixiang, today (May 29) to exchange views on deepening Hong Kong's co-operation with Shandong. Also attending the meeting were the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms Carol Yip.
      
     Mr Lee welcomed Mr Zhou's visit to Hong Kong with his delegation to organise the 2023 Hong Kong-Macao-Shandong week. He expressed gratitude to the Shandong Provincial Government for the continued support of various departments on the work of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Shanghai and the Shandong Liaison Unit of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, and said that the HKSAR Government will continue to deepen co-operation with Shandong Province on various fronts, jointly expanding the room for further development.
      
     Mr Lee said that Shandong is a coastal and major economic province, and plays an important role in the Belt and Road Initiative. Noting that Hong Kong is an international financial centre and the world's largest offshore Renminbi business hub, as well as an international trade, shipping and logistics hub, Mr Lee said that Hong Kong can provide Shandong with the investment and financing platform and professional services support required by projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, acting as an essential bridge between Shandong and the global market. Mr Lee welcomed Shandong to continue to use Hong Kong as the prime platform for Mainland enterprises to "go global" and attract foreign investments.
      
     Mr Lee also noted that the HKSAR Government has always attached great importance to youth development. In recent years, the HKSAR Government has collaborated with Shandong Province to organise the Youth Internship Programme at Shandong on Marine Sciences, and an association for the development of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan students of Shandong University has been established, providing platforms for youth exchanges and further strengthening cultural integration between the two places.