Chief Executive Carrie Lam met Hainan Governor Shen Xiaoming at the Chief Executive's Office today.
Mrs Lam welcomed Mr Shen's first visit to Hong Kong after his assumption of office to officiate at the opening ceremony of the 15th World Congress of the International Federation of Hainan Associations Hong Kong & Hainan (Hong Kong) Promotion Seminar for Economics, Trade & Tourism to be held tomorrow.
Noting relations between Hong Kong and Hainan have always been close with frequent flows of people, goods and capital between both places, Mrs Lam said the centennial celebration of the Hong Kong Hainan Commercial Association she attended last month shows the long history of business operation by Hainan entrepreneurs in Hong Kong.
Many Hong Kong enterprises operate businesses in Hainan, and Hong Kong is the largest source of external investment in the province, she added.
She said Hainan is a long-term partner of Hong Kong and both places should position themselves globally and complement each other.
She added the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government welcomes Hainan enterprises to continue to go global by leveraging on Hong Kong's strengths including finance, commerce and trade, logistics, management and professional services, and expand operation to tap together the international market through the platform in Hong Kong.
She said she hopes the two places strengthen exchanges and expand the scope of co-operation to complement the Belt & Road Initiative.
Noting that while Hainan is developing as an international tourism island and Hong Kong is highly competitive with a well-developed services sector for tourism and the hotel industry, Mrs Lam said Hong Kong and the province can strengthen co-operation in this area, including opening up markets along the Belt & Road together to attract more high-yield visitors to visit both places on multi-destination itineraries.
