Financial Secretary Paul Chan visited Shenzhen today to learn about the latest developments in fintech and innovation and technology in the city.

Mr Chan met Shenzhen Vice Mayor Wang Lixin and exchanged views on further co-operation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. He said the two cities have always been close partners.

He hoped both sides can leverage the opportunities arising from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to strengthen co-operation in fintech, I&T and creative industries.

He then visited the headquarters of Tencent to learn about the most up-to-date fintech services in the Mainland.

He also attended an activity organised by the Tencent Financial Academy and spoke with Hong Kong youths participating in an internship programme in Shenzhen.

He said the bay area not only covers Shenzhen, which houses many leading I&T enterprises, but also a large number of cities transforming towards an advanced manufacturing economy.

As Hong Kong is the most cosmopolitan city in the region and offers the best professional services, its enterprises and those in the Mainland can join forces in tapping new markets and developing the bay area into an international I&T hub where talent, research and development institutes and enterprises can cluster, he said.

Mr Chan also visited an intelligent logistics provider and a fintech company founded by Hong Kong people to discover the latest applications in big data analytics and information and communications technology.