The Legislative Council ("LegCo") Panel on Economic Development, Panel on Financial Affairs, Panel on Commerce and Industry, and Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting will conduct a three-day joint-Panel duty visit to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area ("the Bay Area") from 20 to 22 April 2018 (Friday to Sunday).

The governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and the National Development and Reform Commission, signed the Framework Agreement on Deepening Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Cooperation in the Development of the Bay Area in Hong Kong in July 2017.  The Bay Area covers the nine adjoining cities in the Pearl River Delta Region, namely Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing as well as the two Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao. It has abundant room for development and rich land resources, providing an enormous market for Hong Kong's financial and high-end services industries.  It also enables Hong Kong to diversify its industries, in particular for promoting innovation and technology development. 

In view of the strategic significance of the Bay Area development to Hong Kong, the purpose of the duty visit is for Members to visit five cities in the Bay Area, namely Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, Dongguan and Zhongshan, to see for themselves the latest development of the Bay Area.  Members will also take the opportunity to meet with representatives of the Guangdong Provincial Government as well as the Municipal Governments of the five cities to exchange views on issues of mutual concern.

The delegation will visit the following places:

Shenzhen

• WeBank
• Shenzhen Traffic Police Intelligent Traffic Command Center
• Huawei Bantian Headquarters

Dongguan

• Songshan Lake Xbot Park
• Songshan Lake Eco-city Science Museum
• China Spallation Neutron Source facility

Zhongshan

• Tsui Hang New District Planning Exhibition Centre
• Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link West Landing Point
• Qingsheng transportation hub in Nansha district

Foshan

• Lingnan Tiandi
• Sanshan New City Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Technology Exhibition and Exchange Center

Guangzhou

• EHang Intelligent Technology Co. Ltd.
• Cultural landmarks in Zhujiang New Town
• Guangzhou South Railway Station

The joint-Panel delegation is led by the delegation leader Hon Jeffrey LAM, who is also the Chairman of the LegCo Panel on Economic Development.  Other participating Panel members include Hon WU Chi-wai, Chairman of Panel on Commerce and Industry; Hon Charles Peter MOK, Chairman of Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting; Hon Kenneth LEUNG, Chairman of Panel on Financial Affairs; Hon Christopher CHEUNG Wah-fung, Deputy Chairman of Panel on Financial Affairs; Dr Hon Elizabeth QUAT, Deputy Chairman of Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting; Hon Alvin YEUNG, Deputy Chairman of Panel on Economic Development; Hon SHIU Ka-fai, Deputy Chairman of Panel on Commerce and Industry; Hon CHAN Kin-por; Hon Mrs Regina IP LAU Suk-yee; Hon Paul TSE Wai-chun; Hon Michael TIEN Puk-sun; Hon Steven HO Chun-yin; Hon YIU Si-wing; Hon MA Fung-kwok; Hon Dennis KWOK Wing-hang; Hon Martin LIAO Cheung-kong; Ir Dr Hon LO Wai-kwok; Hon Jimmy NG Wing-ka; Hon Holden CHOW Ho-ding; Hon YUNG Hoi-yan; Hon CHAN Chun-ying; and Hon LAU Kwok-fan as well as non-Panel members Prof Hon Joseph LEE Kok-long, Hon LEUNG Che-cheung, Dr Hon Helena WONG Pik-wan, Hon IP Kin-yuen, Hon POON Siu-ping, Hon HO Kai-ming, Hon LAM Cheuk-ting, Hon Kenneth LAU Ip-keung and Hon Vincent CHENG Wing-shun.

Meanwhile, at the invitation of the joint-Panel delegation, the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick NIP Tak-kuen; the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas YANG Wei-hsiung; the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Henry LAU; and the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward YAU Tang-wah, will also join the duty visit.

Ends/Thursday, 19 April 2018
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