CE to lead delegation to attend celebration of 40th anniversary of establishment of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone in Shenzhen
12.10.2020

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, will lead a delegation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and depart for Shenzhen in the afternoon today (October 12) to attend the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone on Wednesday (October 14). Members of the HKSAR Government delegation attending the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone include the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan; the Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC; the Secretary for Security, Mr John Lee; the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai; the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Alfred Sit; and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki. A Government spokesman said that Shenzhen, as an "early and pilot implementation" area under the country's reform, opening up and modernisation, attracted plenty of Hong Kong business people to invest there during the early stage of the reform and opening up of the nation, propelling rapid economic development in the city. Today, Hong Kong is still Shenzhen's largest source of external capital, with nearly 80 000 enterprises operating in Shenzhen. As Shenzhen continued to open up, Hong Kong played the role of a connector, providing two-way support and services for enterprises in Shenzhen and the Mainland to "go global" and attract foreign investment. In the process, Hong Kong has also developed into the international centre for finance, trade, logistics, transportation and professional services that it is today. In the journey of the reform and opening up of Shenzhen and the nation, Hong Kong has been both a contributor and a beneficiary. Noting that Hong Kong and Shenzhen are neighbours with the people having close ties and speaking the same language, the spokesman said that the Governments of the two places set up the high-level Hong Kong/Shenzhen Co-operation Meeting as early as 2004 and have established mutually beneficial and close relations in areas including economic affairs and trade, culture, tourism and youth exchanges over the years. In the past few years, collaboration between Hong Kong and Shenzhen has become more extensive, covering innovation and technology, creative industries, medical services and more. In addition, with the commissioning of the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and the Liantang Port/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point, the flows of people between the two places have been greatly enhanced. As the core cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong and Shenzhen will complement each other to promote the development of the Greater Bay Area together, especially in the work in relation to the establishment of an international innovation and technology centre. Mrs Lam said, "On this occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, I, on behalf of the HKSAR, extend my sincere congratulations to the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, the Shenzhen Municipal Government and the people of the whole city and look forward to raising collaboration between Hong Kong and Shenzhen to the next level." Mrs Lam will return to Hong Kong in the afternoon on October 14. During her absence, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, will be the Acting Chief Executive. Ends/Monday, October 12, 2020 Issued at HKT 12:52 NNNN