First Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation Forum kicks off

APD NEWS

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By APD Writer Tao Xing

The first Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation Forum opened in Shenzhen, south China’s

Guangdong Province on Thursday, with many honored guests delivering excellent speeches at the opening ceremony.

Mr. Tung Chee Hwa, Vice Chairman of CPPCC

“Hong Kong's return to China 20 years ago has proved ‘one country, two systems’ is a basic state policy to boost its economic and social development,” Tung Chee Hwa, vice chairman of National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) made remarks at the opening ceremony.

He believed in the past two decades, Shenzhen has been playing an important role in connecting the mainland and Hong Kong. The construction of Qianhai Shenzhen-HK Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone in particular raises its role to a new level. As building the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area" becomes as a national strategy, Tung hoped the Shenzhen-HK cooperation will contribute to its further development.

Mr. Xu Ze, Standing Committee Member of CPPCC, Chairman of Chinese Association of Hong Kong & Macao Studies

Xu Ze, a member of standing committee of the CPPCC, chairman of Chinese Association of Hong Kong & Macao Studies, said the "one country, two systems" policy unleashes great dynamism and is irreplaceable, which allows the Chinese government resumed exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong and Macao, but also guarantees the social stability and prosperity of HK and Macao over the past years. He believes that the closer Guangdong-HK-Macao cooperation will make greater contribution to achieve the Chinese Dream of a “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation”.

Prof. Chan Ka-Keung, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of HKSAR

Prof. Chan Ka-Keung, secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said there will more opportunities for Shenzhen and HK in practicing the national strategy of "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area". He believed the Qianhai and HK’s cooperation will serves as a good example in enhancing cooperation between inland and HK.

Mr. Zhang Hu, Standing Committee Member of the Shenzhen Municipal Party Committee, First Vice-Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal Government

Zhang Hu, first vice mayor of the Shenzhen municipal government, said deepening the Shenzhen-HK cooperation is a concrete practice of carrying out “one country, two systems” policy, the common demand for Shenzhen and HK’s development and prosperity, and the top priority task of Shenzhen’s opening up. Shenzhen will cooperate with the HKSAR to implement the Belt and Road initiative, China's FTA strategy and the regional development strategy, and join hands to construct the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area" so as to promote the Shenzhen-HK cooperation into a new level.

Mr. Du Peng, Party Member of the CPC Leadership Group of Shenzhen Municipal Government, Director General of Qianhai Authority, to host the open ceremony

Group Photo

More than 400 representatives from the political, business and academic circles attended the opening ceremony.

The forum themed “Building the Future together Through Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation” will review achievements and experiences of Shenzhen-HK’s cooperation in the past two decades, and discuss the further cooperation in several areas including setting up the international financial center, the international technology and innovation center, the international culture and innovation center, the platform serving for the Belt and Road Initiative and the international shipping and trade center.

As a national strategy platform, developing Qianhai special economic zone carries great significance in maintaining HK’s prosperity and stability, promoting complementarity and mutual benefits between the mainland and HK, and improving HK’s core positions in international finance, shipping and trade.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)