HONG KONG, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- John Lee, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), expressed hopes on Tuesday that Hong Kong and Hainan can fully leverage their collaborative potential and pledged that the HKSAR government will continue to play an active bridging role.
Lee made these remarks during a meeting with Feng Fei, secretary of the Communist Party of China Hainan Provincial Committee, as they discussed strengthening ties between Hong Kong and Hainan to mark the 100-day countdown to the launch of independent customs operations across the Hainan island province on Dec. 18.
This year marks a significant milestone for the Hainan Free Trade Port, with the independent customs operation and further opening set to achieve a high level of openness and quality development.
Highlighting the close geographical, cultural, and business ties between Hong Kong and Hainan, Lee noted that the two governments signed a memorandum of cooperation in March, covering five areas, namely trade and investment, finance, safe and orderly flow of data, tourism, and talent exchanges, further strengthening cooperation.
Lee said Hong Kong and Hainan can fully leverage their collaborative potential, jointly serving as a functional platform and contributing to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
He also pointed out that the Hainan Provincial Government is the first provincial government on the Chinese mainland to utilize Hong Kong's financing platform and professional services for bond issuance. He welcomed and thanked Hainan for leveraging Hong Kong's advantages as an international financial center and a platform for offshore Renminbi debt products, thus contributing jointly to the BRI.
The HKSAR government will continue to actively facilitate exchanges and cooperation between Hong Kong and Hainan across various sectors, including economy and trade, tourism, and talent, achieving complementarities and mutual benefits, and contributing to the country's high-quality development, Lee said.
Also on Tuesday, a promotion and policy interpretation conference was held in Hong Kong to mark the 100-day countdown.
Officials at the conference stated that the close ties binding Hainan and Hong Kong will deepen as Hainan develops into a new hub for regional win-win cooperation. The event showcased the achievements of the Hainan Free Trade Port, upcoming policies following the customs transition, and new development and investment opportunities.
Feng remarked at the event that the forthcoming independent customs operation signifies a new phase in the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port.
He emphasized that Hainan seeks to deepen its collaboration with Hong Kong, harnessing their respective strengths to amplify their combined regional influence and outreach.
Algernon Yau, secretary for commerce and economic development of the HKSAR government, reaffirmed the commitment to fostering collaboration between Hong Kong and Hainan, pledging to fully leverage Hong Kong's strengths to promote coordinated development within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Hainan Free Trade Port.
Yau also highlighted plans to attract international projects to Hainan and facilitate Hainan's investment in overseas markets, aiming to create mutually beneficial partnerships that contribute to China's high-quality development and economic dynamism.
Tang Hua, director of the Hainan Provincial Bureau of International Economic Development, detailed Hainan's advantages, including its beautiful ecological environment, broad market reach, high degree of economic openness, and strong talent attraction.
Tang noted that Hong Kong offers world-class technological R&D capabilities, robust financial services, and access to international talent, which provide essential support services to enterprises in Hainan.
The promotion event, held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, culminated in the signing of 12 agreements between Hainan and Hong Kong enterprises across various sectors, including cultural tourism, technology, and food processing.
