The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Emergency Response Joint Meeting was held in Hong Kong this afternoon (September 20). At the invitation by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, the Director of the Department of Emergency Management of Guangdong Province, Mr Wang Zaihua; the Secretary for Security of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), Mr Wong Sio-chak; and the Commander of the Guangdong Fire and Rescue Brigade, Mr Zhang Mingcan, attended the Joint Meeting, leading representatives of the emergency response units of the nine Mainland GBA cities and the Macao SAR to join and review the achievements of the emergency response co-operation between the three places. The attendees also advanced the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Emergency Management Co-operation and Greater Bay Area Emergency Response Operation Co-operation Framework Agreement (Framework Agreement) formulated by the Hong Kong SAR Government, taking the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao emergency response collaboration to new heights.
Mr Tang said in the meeting that he hoped by integrating the emergency response capabilities of the GBA cities through the Framework Agreement, a more systematic emergency response operation mechanism would be established to enable the cities to handle incidents together and explore ways to facilitate the smooth flow of emergency response personnel, equipment and supplies during handling of emergencies, enhancing the efficacy of cross-boundary rescue efforts.
Mr Tang said that he visited the Department of Emergency Management of Guangdong Province, the Secretariat for Security of the Macao SAR Government and the emergency response units of all GBA cities to introduce the vision of the Greater Bay Area Emergency Response Operational Plan (Operational Plan) between May and July this year. He expressed gratitude to the counterparts for providing valuable comments to improve the Operational Plan and for examining the draft Framework Agreement. He said he hoped that senior officials from Guangdong and Macao would come to Hong Kong to witness the signing of the Framework Agreement in the near future.
The Framework Agreement will build a government-led and action-based emergency response co-operation mechanism supported by professional emergency response units, deepening the joint efforts by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to promote emergency management developments and a result-oriented approach.
After the joint meeting, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, hosted a welcome dinner. On behalf of the Hong Kong SAR Government, he thanked the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Macao SAR Government for their strong support for the Operational Plan and the Framework Agreement. He said the three places will strive to leverage their comprehensive advantages to promote the high-quality developments of a safe GBA and implement the spirit of putting people and their lives first to foster the continuous and stable development of society.
The joint meeting and the dinner were held at the Police Officers' Club in Causeway Bay. Participants of the joint meeting will, in the next two days, take part in exchange and visit programmes, including a seminar as well as visits to the Fire Services Department, the Government Flying Service and other major facilities to strengthen professional exchanges, laying a solid foundation for future co-operation.
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