Chongqing - The Annual Meeting of Chongqing-Hong Kong-Macao Advisors was inaugurated in Southwest China’s Chongqing Thursday. Fifteen distinguished figures, including Pansy Ho, Chairman of Shun Tak Holdings, and Liu Yahuang, Chairman of Multinational Holdings Group, were appointed as advisors for Chongqing.

On the morning of June 20, 2024, the Annual Meeting of Chongqing-Hong Kong-Macao Advisors was inaugurated in southwest China’s Chongqing. (Photo/Deng Yan)

The annual meeting, which was composed of representatives from Hong Kong and Macao appointed by Chongqing, centered around the theme "Collaborating for New Productive Forces and Sharing New Opportunities in Regional Cooperation." Attendees discussed cooperative development strategies to elevate Chongqing-Hong Kong-Macao cooperation to new heights. 

Pansy Ho, a newly appointed advisor and Chairman of Shun Tak Holdings, highlighted Chongqing's rapid development as a "popular city" with significant growth in its cultural and tourism industries. Attractions like Raffles City, Hongya Cave, and the magnificent Qiansimen Bridge have captivated countless tourists. She noted that Chongqing is further exploring red tourism, nature tourism, and ethnic tourism, creating diverse products such as "tourism + wellness," "tourism + concerts," and "tourism + duty-free shopping" to boost cultural and tourism productivity.

"The Chongqing-Hong Kong-Macao Advisors Annual Meeting serves as a crucial platform for exchange and collaboration, allowing us from various fields in Hong Kong and Macao to actively contribute as a think tank," Pansy Ho added.

During the meeting, twelve Hong Kong and Macao advisors offered insights on Chongqing's open development, the construction of an inland open comprehensive hub, the Chongqing-Hong Kong cooperation mechanism, the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle, and integration with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

"Chongqing is a city full of charm and a place many young people from Hong Kong and Macao long to visit. It’s a vibrant, youthful, and powerful city," said advisor Zheng Xiangling during her speech. 

Zheng emphasized future opportunities in the collaborative development of new productive forces between Chongqing and Hong Kong. She pointed out that technological innovation is the core element of this development. With Hong Kong building an international innovation hub, rich in scientific and educational resources, and possessing world-class university research institutions and a highly open international innovation network, there are vast opportunities for cooperation. Chongqing and Hong Kong can collaborate in advanced fields, establishing innovation and research platforms for future industries like artificial intelligence and biomedicine, fostering original innovation, and enhancing the conversion of technological achievements through coordinated efforts in academic collaboration.

"Chongqing, with its mountain landscapes and river views, shares many similarities with Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour,” said advisor Ma Haowen, who has visited Chongqing multiple times and noted the many similarities between the two cities.

Ma Haowen highlighted the growing importance of Chongqing-Hong Kong cooperation, particularly in education and economic development. (Photo/Deng Yan)

Ma discussed the growing importance of Chongqing-Hong Kong cooperation, particularly in education and economic development. He observed that Hong Kong’s education system is gaining international recognition, attracting many students from Chongqing. He suggested promoting further cooperation in these areas, noting that Hong Kong's new economic engines can offer Chongqing’s young people opportunities to study and develop their careers in an international environment through Hong Kong’s platform.

The collaboration between Chongqing and the Hong Kong-Macao regions is long-standing, with Hong Kong and Macao being Chongqing’s largest sources of foreign investment, third-largest trading partners, and major destinations for outward investment. During this annual meeting, various activities such as project negotiations, enterprise visits, and inspections of key sites like the Jiangbeizui Central Business District, Guoyuan Port National Logistics Hub, Seres Liangjiang Intelligent Factory, and Liangjiang Collaborative Innovation Zone will be organized to provide the advisors with a comprehensive understanding of Chongqing's modern economic and social development.