Civil Service College holds talk on China-Middle East relations (with photos)

     The Civil Service College (CSC) today (September 23) held a talk of the series on the country's foreign affairs, with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (OCMFA) in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The talk, on the topic of "China-Middle East Relations", was delivered by Deputy Director General of the Department of West Asian and North African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Mr Yang Xin.

     Addressing the talk, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, said that Hong Kong, as a key link for the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative, can capitalise on its unique advantages under "one country, two systems" to actively participate in and contribute to the B&R initiative. Hong Kong will give full play to its roles as a "super connector" and "super value-adder". Possessing the advantages of being an international city and enjoying the support of mature professional services, Hong Kong has been promoting co-operation with Middle East countries in a wide range of areas such as finance, innovation and technology (I&T), business, transportation and energy in recent years. Hong Kong has also been playing a bridging role in connecting the Mainland and the Middle East region. This talk enabled civil servants to understand how Hong Kong can seize opportunities from the country's overall development and promote deeper and broader co-operation with the Middle East, thereby better supporting national strategies.

     Mrs Yeung said that the series on the country's foreign affairs has been well received since its launch. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. In celebration of this important day, the HKSAR Government will organise a series of celebratory activities. Among the activities organised by the Civil Service Bureau, training on the country's foreign affairs is one of the key initiatives.

     About 100 senior officials and civil servants in the directorate and senior ranks attended the talk at the CSC today. 

     The CSC and the OCMFA have been jointly organising this series of talks on the country's foreign affairs since late 2021. The series, including thematic briefing sessions on "International Landscape and China's Foreign Relations" by the Commissioner of OCMFA, and talks by relevant officials of the MFA on various topics, is provided with a view to enhancing civil servants' understanding of international affairs, awareness of national security and holistic views. Under The 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China: Striving towards a New Era Series, there are seminars covering modern Chinese history, national security and the country's I&T development, in addition to the country's foreign affairs.