The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, in Shanghai today (November 6) attended the launch ceremony of the Shanghai Hong Kong University Alliance (SHUA) at Fudan University and joined an exchange session with students. She also visited the Shanghai Symphony Hall and met with Hong Kong people living in Shanghai.
In the morning, Mrs Lam, accompanied by the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, attended the launch ceremony of the SHUA at Fudan University and witnessed the establishment of the alliance by 16 higher education institutions from Shanghai and Hong Kong. Speaking at the ceremony, she said that exchanges between the higher education institutions in Shanghai and Hong Kong have continued to be enhanced in recent years and the areas of co-operation have become increasingly diversified, with more than 30 per cent of the Hong Kong students who joined exchange programmes in the Mainland last year choosing Shanghai as the destination. She said that the SHUA will effectively intensify co-operation among the universities from both sides in areas such as teaching, research, transformation of technological achievements and student exchanges, providing high-quality education and technology support in both places as well as contributing to innovation in higher education and the country.
Later, Mrs Lam attended an exchange session with students from the two places. In her speech, she introduced to the students the vision and actions of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, including making good use of Hong Kong's advantages under "one country, two systems" and the city's traditional strengths to boost its external relations, consolidate the traditional industries, develop the emerging industries and enhance the people's quality of life.
Mrs Lam and the other officials then visited the Shanghai Symphony Hall and watched a rehearsal. The hall, which came into operation in 2014, was built with unique technology to overcome the noise and vibration caused by nearby railways and is equipped with advanced design and facilities. She said that Hong Kong will hold Festival Hong Kong 2019 – A Cultural Extravaganza@Shanghai next year with the participation of a number of major Hong Kong performing arts groups. The series of exciting activities in the inaugural Festival Hong Kong will commence with a performance by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra at the Shanghai Symphony Hall.
Next, Mrs Lam and the other officials met with more than 50 representatives of Hong Kong organisations and students living in Shanghai. She updated them on the latest developments in Hong Kong and learned about their everyday lives, work and study.
Mrs Lam and the other officials concluded the trip today and returned to Hong Kong in the evening.
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