Chief Executive Carrie Lam and Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng co-chaired the fifth Plenary Session of the Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Conference through video conferencing today.

Mrs Lam noted that since the conference’s establishment, the current-term Government is the only one which has held plenary sessions twice during the five-year term.

She said this proves that the relationship between Hong Kong and Shanghai has become closer and more diversified, without being affected by external factors, even though Hong Kong has faced unprecedented challenges in the past two years.

The Chief Executive pointed out that Shanghai and Hong Kong are key cities of the country with special status and functions. One is the leading city of the Yangtze River Delta Economic City Group and the other is the core city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

During the 14th Five-Year period, the two places should strive for broader, closer and deeper co-operation, with a view to serving the country’s needs and contributing to the country’s development, Mrs Lam added.

At the meeting, Hong Kong and Shanghai reached consensus on 13 co-operation areas, including expansion in the Mainland domestic market and the Belt & Road Initiative, cultural and creative industries, innovation and technology (I&T) and finance.

Mrs Lam and Mr Gong signed a co-operation memorandum of today’s conference.

Four other pacts covering economic co-operation, I&T, healthcare as well as culture were also signed.