FS visits Nanjing (with photos/video)

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, commenced his visit programme in Nanjing today (August 28).
 
     In the morning, Mr Chan attended "SmartHK" and delivered his opening remarks. He said that Jiangsu has been deepening its high-quality opening-up efforts and building an innovation hub for industrial technologies. As an international financial, trade and shipping centre, Hong Kong is also advancing its development into an international innovation and technology centre, an intellectual property trading centre and an East-meets-West centre for international arts and cultural exchanges. Hong Kong and Jiangsu can further deepen collaboration on the current solid foundation of partnership, contributing together to the country's high-quality development. Looking forward, he outlined four areas for capitalising on Hong Kong's strengths while enhancing the mutually beneficial collaboration between the two places. First, to utilise Hong Kong's international financial market to help Jiangsu enterprises to expand their financing channels. Second, to make good use of Hong Kong's professional services platform and strengths in building a multinational supply chain management centre. Third, to harness the research and development synergy of the two places and open up new co-operation areas in science and innovation. Fourth, to strengthen collaboration in the creative and cultural industries and tell the world good stories of China. Mr Chan also welcomed companies in Jiangsu and the Yangtze River Delta to leverage Hong Kong as a platform to develop international businesses. He also welcomed talent there to come to Hong Kong and develop their careers and to make contributions to deepening regional co-operation and better development of the two places.
 
     In the afternoon, Mr Chan also met with the Governor of Jiangsu Province, Mr Xu Kunlin, and introduced to Mr Xu Hong Kong's latest situation and development directions. Both sides exchanged views on co-operation in such areas as finance, trade, innovation and technology, education, culture. Mr Chan said he is confident that Hong Kong and Jiangsu would, building on the solid foundation established, continue to expand and deepen their collaboration, and work more closely in different areas. Both should join hands to spur technological innovation and nurture new industries together. He added that Hong Kong enjoys the unique advantages of enjoying the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world, and serves as a "super connector" and "super value-adder" that can help Jiangsu enterprises go global and tap into international markets. Meanwhile, Hong Kong can help Jiangsu attract overseas funds and investors. The two places can seize the vast opportunities of high-quality development together.
 
     The Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Dr Peter Lam; the Chairman of the Board of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, Mr Henry Tang; the Acting Director-General of Investment Promotion, Dr Jimmy Chiang; the Commissioner for Industry (Innovation and Technology), Dr Ge Ming; and the President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Professor Nancy Ip, joined the meeting.
 
     Mr Chan also visited the Jiangsu Hongkong Chamber of Commerce and met with businessmen in Jiangsu investing in Hong Kong to understand their business situations in Hong Kong and exchange views on issues such as the economic and business environment. He encouraged Jiangsu businesspersons in Hong Kong to play a bridging role in facilitating more investment co-operation between Jiangsu and Hong Kong, and to be innovative and bold in opening new markets to create more room for development.
 
     Mr Chan concluded his visit to Nanjing in the evening and would depart for Hong Kong.