FS to visit France and US

The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, will depart for a visit to Paris, France, this evening (May 22) to attend the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Europe (France) Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference, jointly organised by the People's Government of Guangdong Province, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government and the Macao SAR Government to promote the enormous business opportunities brought by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area for the European business community, and Hong Kong's unique role and function as a "super connector" and "super value-adder".

During his stay in France, Mr Chan will meet with members of the local political and business community and financial sectors, to share with them the latest updates of Hong Kong, and the business advantages and development opportunities offered by Hong Kong. He will also visit a number of enterprises to explore the initiation of business ventures and project collaborations in Hong Kong.

After his visit to France, Mr Chan will depart for San Francisco and Berkeley in California, the United States (US), on May 27. He will lead a delegation of the Hong Kong SAR Government, together with the delegations from the Guangdong Province and the Macao SAR, to take part in the Bay to Bay Dialogue between the California Bay Area and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area on May 29, and the US-China High-Level Event on Subnational Climate Action on May 29 and 30. Members of the Hong Kong SAR delegation include the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau; the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung; the Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Joseph Chan; the Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Ms Maisie Chan; the Director-General of Investment Promotion, Ms Alpha Lau; and the Commissioner for Climate Change, Mr Wong Chuen-fai, as well as representatives from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, Cyberport, the University of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

During his stay in the US, Mr Chan will also attend a business luncheon co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco and the Bay Area Council, a business association in San Francisco, the US, to brief the local business community as well as innovation and technology sector the latest developments of and business opportunities in Hong Kong. Moreover, he will meet with representatives of the local political and business circles and visit enterprises.

Mr Chan will depart for Hong Kong from San Francisco on May 31 and arrive in Hong Kong in the morning of June 1. During his absence, the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, will be the Acting Financial Secretary. During the absence of Mr Yau, the Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, will be the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development. The Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Liu Chun-san, will be the Acting Secretary for Transport and Logistics during Mr Lam's absence.