On 31 March and 2 April, Secretary General Shi Zhongjun of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) met with Deputy Director Liu Guangyuan of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR and Acting Commissioner Li Yongsheng of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the Hong Kong SAR. They exchanged views on strengthening economic cooperation and trade between ASEAN and Hong Kong, as well as further advancing the growth of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

Secretary General Shi briefly introduced the ACC’s efforts in pushing forward practical cooperation and deepening people-to-people exchanges between ASEAN and China as well as the GBA. He stressed that Hong Kong, as the central city of the GBA, provides core driving force to regional development, counting on its competitive advantages in such fields as finance, trade, shipping, sci-tech innovation and talent resources. The ACC stands ready to continue playing its role as a connecting platform in helping business communities of AMS secure an in-depth understanding of Hong Kong, better integrate with the development of Hong Kong and the GBA, and further synergize respective strengths on both sides, so as to achieve win-win results in the long run. 

Deputy Director Liu Guangyuan appreciated the important role played by the ACC in promoting ASEAN-China trade and economic cooperation. He underlined that Hong Kong is accelerating its integration into national development at present. Hong Kong should and could better leverage the ACC’s platforms and resources, further explore various modes and methods of cooperation, actively attract ASEAN business communities to invest and start business in Hong Kong, propel its pursuit of high-quality development, so as to ensure a booming future for Hong Kong with good governance, maintain long-term prosperity and stability, and press ahead with the sustained implementation of “one country, two systems”.

Acting Commissioner Li Yongsheng said that Hong Kong enjoys both close connection with the world market and strong support from the motherland, already growing into a bridge connecting the Chinese mainland and ASEAN as well as an important hub of cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Looking forward, Hong Kong can play an even greater role in deepening multi-faceted cooperation between ASEAN and the GBA, and the whole of China at large. The Commissioner Office will work closely with the ACC to help Hong Kong deepen ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership and enhance regional cooperation, create fresh highlights in cooperation, so as to better contribute Hong Kong’s strength to regional economic growth and ASEAN-China practical cooperation.