The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Emergency Response Joint Meeting was held in Hong Kong today to review the achievements of the emergency response co-operation between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau.

The meeting also advanced the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Emergency Management Co-operation & Greater Bay Emergency Response Operation Co-operation Framework Agreement, taking the trilateral emergency response collaboration to new heights.

Department of Emergency Management of Guangdong Province Director Wang Zaihua, Macao Special Administrative Region Government Secretary for Security Wong Sio-chak and Guangdong Fire & Rescue Brigade Commander Zhang Mingcan attended the meeting, leading representatives of the emergency response units of the nine Mainland GBA cities and Macau.

Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung said in the meeting that he hopes a more systematic emergency response operation mechanism would be established to enable the GBA cities to handle incidents together and explore ways to facilitate the flow of emergency response personnel, equipment and supplies during emergencies, enhancing the efficacy of cross-boundary rescue efforts.

Having visited the emergency management units of Guangdong, Macau and GBA cities to introduce the vision of the Greater Bay Area Emergency Response Operational Plan between May and July, Mr Tang expressed hope that Guangdong and Macau's senior officials would come to Hong Kong to witness the signing of the framework agreement in the near future.

Formulated by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the framework agreement will build a government-led and action-based emergency response co-operation mechanism supported by professional emergency response units, deepening the joint efforts by the three places to promote emergency management developments.

After the joint session ended, Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki hosted a welcome dinner. He noted that the three places will strive to leverage their comprehensive advantages to promote the high-quality developments of a safe GBA and implement the spirit of putting people and their lives first to foster the continuous and stable development of society.