CE continues call on central ministries and meets Hong Kong youths in Beijing
17.3.2023

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, today (March 17) continued his visit in Beijing. In the early morning, Mr Lee, together with the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai; the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui; the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung; the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau; the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms Carol Yip, and other officials, watched the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square. Mr Lee said that it was the first time he watched the ceremony at Tiananmen Square since taking office, and that he was particularly moved by and proud of the growing strength of the country as he watched the national flag fluttering in the breeze in a solemn and sacred manner. At noon, Mr Lee attended a seminar for Hong Kong students studying in Beijing organised by the Hong Kong Alumni Association of Beijing Universities and exchanged views with the students to better understand their learning and daily life. Addressing the event, Mr Lee thanked the association for its efforts in providing a platform for university students from Hong Kong and Beijing to interact and exchange ideas. He encouraged the young people from Hong Kong to continue their proactive learning path on the Mainland, so that they could contribute to the country and Hong Kong in the future. Mr Lee said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government launched the Top Talent Pass Scheme at the end of last year, targeting high-income professionals and graduates from the world's top 100 universities, to attract talents from the Mainland and around the world to come to Hong Kong and pursue their development. He highlighted that in view of the overwhelming response, he has instructed relevant departments to conduct a mid-term review in the middle of this year to actively consider including more outstanding universities, such as key institutions on the Mainland and abroad, on top of the current list of the world's top 100 universities. In the afternoon, Mr Lee called on the People's Bank of China and the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) respectively to exchange views on topics including financial development. Mr Tsang and Mr Hui also joined the meetings. Mr Lee first met with the Governor of the People's Bank of China, Mr Yi Gang. Mr Yi said the People's Bank of China would fully support Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre and provide conducive factors and environment through its policies and measures, while maintaining its effective and proactive communication and co-operation with the HKSAR Government. Mr Lee expressed his gratitude to the People's Bank of China for its continuous support in consolidating Hong Kong's position as an international financial centre and in facilitating Hong Kong's integration into the national development of the reform and opening-up of the financial market. Mr Lee said that as the world's largest offshore Renminbi hub, Hong Kong could actively participate in the internationalisation of the Renminbi. He also said he looked forward to strengthening green finance co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland, and supporting the country in striving for the "3060" goal on peaking carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality by making better use of Hong Kong's financing platform and professional services. Mr Lee then met with the Chairman of the CSRC, Mr Yi Huiman. Mr Yi said the CSRC would continue to exchange with the HKSAR Government in such areas as expanding the mutual access between the financial markets of the Mainland and Hong Kong and strengthening co-operation in green and sustainable finance, in order to further support Hong Kong in leveraging its unique advantages and boosting its international competitiveness. Mr Lee expressed his gratitude to the CSRC for its continuous support in deepening mutual access between the financial markets of the Mainland and Hong Kong. He noted that the HKSAR Government and the regulatory bodies in Hong Kong would continue to promote and implement relevant measures, including improving the mutual access of capital markets in the two places, increasing the choice of risk management tools for Hong Kong and overseas investors, and exploring further collaboration in bond markets between the two places, with a view to expanding Hong Kong's bond market and enriching the offshore Renminbi fixed income ecosystem. Mr Lee will return to Hong Kong tomorrow (March 18). Ends/Friday, March 17, 2023 Issued at HKT 21:49 NNNN