Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun started his trip to Beijing today by visiting several central ministries.

Mr Sun called on the Ministry of Civil Affairs where he met Department of Social Assistance Director General Liu Xitang and Department of Elderly Care Deputy Director Li Yongxin to exchange views on social assistance policies as well as community and residential care services for the elderly.

They explored the way forward for integration into the national development, especially intercity co-operation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Mr Sun noted that follow-up work is under way to identify possible areas of collaboration in elderly and rehabilitation services to address the challenges of an ageing population.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will tap the Mainland's experience on targeted poverty alleviation while formulating targeted poverty alleviation projects, he added.

Mr Sun also called on Ministry of Commerce Department of Outward Investment & Economic Cooperation Deputy Director General Liu Minqiang to discuss supervision, management and co-operation regarding labour to be imported to Hong Kong.

A scheme will soon be launched to import care workers for residential care homes from June to allow the importation of care workers at an appropriate scale to address the acute manpower shortage and enhance service quality. Mr Sun thanked the central ministries for their assistance in the scheme’s implementation, adding that the Hong Kong SAR Government will maintain co-ordination with Mainland departments to ensure the rights of imported workers are protected.

Mr Sun also met China Workers' Center for International Exchange of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions Secretary General Wang Zhoubo and visited the China Disabled Persons' Federation to meet its Vice Chairman and Executive Council Director Zhou Changkui.

They discussed labour rights issues and ways to strengthen support for people with disabilities to integrate into the community.

Additionally, the labour chief visited an elderly meal delivery centre, which began service in early April in the Xicheng District of Beijing. He took a closer look at nutritional meals for seniors and how it connects with elderly service stations in the district to cater for the diverse needs of the elderly, including those with dementia and singletons.

In a gathering with university students in Beijing, Mr Sun introduced various enhanced talent admission initiatives in Hong Kong and encouraged them to pursue development in the city.