Chief Executive Carrie Lam participated in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting and spoke at the session via video-conferencing today.

Mrs Lam emphasised Hong Kong's determination to join all APEC member economies to navigate through the pandemic and the importance of guarding against the pandemic's resurgence.

She noted that Hong Kong has donated 7.5 million doses of COVID vaccine to the World Health Organization to help vulnerable countries fight the pandemic.

She also gave an account of the city's reassuring economic outlook.

"Being one of the world's freest economies, sixth largest trading entity and third largest destination of foreign direct investment, we are benefiting from the revitalised manufacturing activities and resumption of demands around the world as shown by our 14.2% year-on-year growth in goods export in the third quarter of this year.

“Our economy has grown by 7% year-on-year in the first nine months and we are expecting 6.4% for the whole year."

Having overcome severe political challenges with staunch support of the Central People's Government, Hong Kong has formulated an array of initiatives to support the achievement of sustainable development goals, she added.

The Chief Executive also introduced some of the key measures, including the Climate Action Plan 2050, the development of Hong Kong into a green finance hub and the development of a complete innovation and technology ecosystem in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Mrs Lam reaffirmed Hong Kong's unequivocal support for multilateralism and international co-operation in overcoming the global crisis and delivering an inclusive and sustainable recovery.

As a champion of free trade, Hong Kong steadfastly stands by the rules-based multilateral trading system and will collaborate constructively with other World Trade Organization members for a meaningful outcome at the 12th Ministerial Conference, she emphasised.