Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki today arrived in Guangzhou as he began a visit to Mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area.

In the morning, Mr Chan visited the Guangzhou National Laboratory and the Innovation Center of High-performance Medical Devices. He also exchanged views with Chinese Academy of Engineering academician Zhong Nanshan and other local innovation and technology (I&T) personnel about medical I&T co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

Mr Chan said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to promote health technology research, develop Hong Kong into a health and medical innovation hub, and foster collaboration in the bay area, including through helping to establish a GBA (Greater Bay Area) International Clinical Trial Institute.

In the afternoon, Mr Chan and Director of the Organization Department, Director of the Talent Work Leading Group Office and Standing Committee member of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee Cheng Fubo, attended the signing ceremony for a framework agreement on promoting Guangdong-Hong Kong co-operation on talent.

Mr Chan and Mr Cheng then co-chaired a meeting in which Guangdong and Hong Kong government officials reported on their respective progress in building a high-calibre talent hub in the bay area, and exchanged views on deepening integration on talent development in the region. Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun also attended.

Mr Chan stressed that Hong Kong, as the country’s leading international and cutting-edge city, is well positioned to serve as an international talent hub and gateway for the bay area and to attract top-notch talent from around the world to help drive the region’s development. He added that the Hong Kong SAR Government’s policy initiatives to attract and retain talent have achieved remarkable results.

Mr Chan also highlighted that Hong Kong Talent Engage will organise the Global Talent Summit & GBA High-quality Talent Development Conference in May. He invited government units, manpower-related organisations and enterprises from Guangdong and bay area cities to join the event.

Afterwards, Mr Chan met Guangdong Vice-Governor Zhang Xin, followed by Guangzhou Municipality Acting Mayor Sun Zhiyang, to discuss ways of strengthening exchange and co-operation on various fronts. Also attending the meetings were Mr Sun, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung and Secretary for Transport & Logistics Lam Sai-hung.