LCQ12: Mainland offices of the SAR Government
9.11.2022

Following is a question by Dr the Hon Kennedy Wong and a written reply by the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, in the Legislative Council today (November 9): Question: The tasks of the Mainland offices of the SAR Government, on top of promoting trade, facilitating investment and providing support for Hong Kong businessmen, also include fostering communication and exchanges in various aspects between Hong Kong and Mainland provinces and municipalities, promoting Hong Kong, as well as maintaining liaison with Hong Kong people studying, working and residing on the Mainland. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) as the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong (GDETO) will set up a GuangdongâHong KongâMacao Greater Bay Area Development Promotion Centre, of the difference between the Centre's tasks and GDETO's existing tasks, and how the relevant work will be co-ordinated between the Centre and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office located in Hong Kong; (2) whether the authorities will review afresh and rationalise the tasks undertaken by various Mainland offices with a view to enabling Hong Kong to better integrate into the national development; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (3) given that the 2022 Policy Address has set key performance indicators (KPIs) for the Mainland offices, which include the number of visits made to Mainland authorities or bodies and the number of speaking occasions when attending activities on the Mainland, whether the authorities will consider adding relevant KPIs for the Mainland offices in respect of (i) promoting Hong Kong to Mainland institutions and (ii) organising activities to maintain liaison with Hong Kong people, Hong Kong enterprises and Hong Kong bodies on the Mainland; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that? Reply: President, In his important speech delivered at the Meeting Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Hong Kong's Return to the Motherland and the Inaugural Ceremony of the Sixth-term Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, President Xi Jinping said in particular that Hong Kong should better integrate itself into the overall development of our country, continue to create strong impetus for growth and actively dovetail itself with national strategies, including the National 14th Five-Year Plan, development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and high-quality Belt and Road co-operation, etc. The report to the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party which was convened recently stated explicitly again that Hong Kong would be supported in better integrating itself into the overall development of our country and playing a greater part in achieving the rejuvenation of the Chinese race. Under "one country, two systems", Hong Kong has the distinctive and prominent advantages of enjoying strong support of the Motherland and being closely connected to the world. Having both direct access to the domestic circulation of the Mainland market and strong international connectivity, Hong Kong serves as an important bridge linking the Mainland and the rest of the world. In regard to promoting the relevant work in the Mainland, the five Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government Offices in the Mainland (Mainland Offices), namely the Beijing Office, and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in Shanghai, Guangdong, Chengdu and Wuhan, have all been playing a vital role all along. Response to Dr the Hon Kennedy Wong's questions is set out below: (1) With their service areas covering the nine Mainland cities of the GBA, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong (GDETO) of the HKSAR Government and its Shenzhen Liaison Unit have all along assisted in promoting the development of the GBA, and fostered the development of Hong Kong people and enterprises in the GBA. To further enhance publicity and promotion as well as the support for Hong Kong people and enterprises in the Mainland cities of the GBA, GDETO will set up the "GBA Development Promotion Centre" (Promotion Centre). Through strengthening strategic co-operation with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, InvestHK and relevant organisations and institutions in the Mainland, and by means of providing GBA-related information and enquiries services, organising seminars and study missions to Hong Kong people and enterprises in the Mainland cities etc, the Promotion Centre will promote opportunities brought about by the development of the GBA and provide appropriate assistance to them when needed. Meanwhile, the Promotion Centre will also encourage Mainland talents and enterprises, through different forms of exchanges and promotional activities, to make use of Hong Kong's unique advantages under "one country, two systems" and come to Hong Kong to explore more opportunities for development, so as to give full play to Hong Kong's dual roles in "going global and attracting foreign investment". The "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office" (GBA Office) and the Promotion Centre complement each other on promoting the development of the GBA. The GBA Office is mainly responsible for liaising with the central ministries and commissions, the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Macao SAR Government on the overall policy of taking forward the development of the GBA, strengthening internal co-ordination within the HKSAR Government, and carrying out publicity and promotion, while the Promotion Centre is mainly responsible for providing enquiries and support services to Hong Kong people and enterprises in the Mainland cities of the GBA, as well as for promotion on the ground. As for the GDETO, it will continue to provide relevant services to the five provinces within its service scope (including the nine Mainland cities of the GBA in Guangdong Province), such as liaison and co-ordination with the Mainland authorities, fostering co-operation and development in areas of economic and trade, tourism, culture, youth, providing appropriate assistance to Hong Kong people in distress in the Mainland cities, and telling the good stories of Hong Kong. (2) In addition to continued performing the current duties of liaising and facilitating co-operation among different stakeholders, each Mainland Office will set up a Dedicated Team for Attracting Businesses and Talents (Dedicated Team) to cater for the HKSAR Government's strategies to compete for enterprises and talents to strengthen the city's competitiveness. The Dedicated Team will proactively reach out to target enterprises and talents in the Mainland and persuade them to come to Hong Kong for development. At the same time, each Mainland Office will step up publicity through online and offline platforms as well as encourage and support representatives from various professional fields and sectors to visit the Mainland etc, in order to comprehensively promote Hong Kong and the unique status and advantages under "one country, two systems" and the unlimited opportunities, thereby telling the good stories of Hong Kong in the Mainland. The HKSAR Government has from time to time reviewed the effectiveness of the work of each Mainland Office and made appropriate adjustments when necessary. (3) The key performance indicators (KPIs) in relation to telling the good stories of Hong Kong as set out in the 2022 Policy Address include the number of visits to Mainland authorities or bodies. The objective of the KPI is to further enhance the exchange and co-operation with the Mainland authorities and bodies. Promotion of Hong Kong in a positive manner and telling the good stories of Hong Kong can also be achieved at the same time. Therefore, the relevant KPI is in fact the same as the first KPI as requested in the question. Regarding the request of adding the second KPI as mentioned in the question (i.e. organising activities to maintain liaison with Hong Kong people, enterprises and associations of Hong Kong in the Mainland), the KPIs in relation to telling the good stories of Hong Kong as stated in the abovementioned Policy Address also specified the minimum number of times that the Mainland Offices are required to attend events in the Mainland, attend speaking occasions and participate in business and trade meetings in 2024. The said events and meetings are related to Hong Kong people, enterprises and associations of Hong Kong in the Mainland. They hence share the objective of further enhancing the liaison with Hong Kong people, enterprises and associations of Hong Kong in the Mainland. Therefore, additional KPI is not required.