Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, has recognised local efforts on innovation projects and urged the city to seize national opportunities.
Xia began a two-day study tour on Tuesday with a briefing from Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu. The session included Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po and other officials.
The tour focused on the Northern Metropolis, a project to develop 30,000 hectares of land near the mainland border. Xia visited the Hetao cross-border innovation hub, a microelectronics centre in Yuen Long and the planned data facility site in Sandy Ridge.
A source said Xia lunched with Central Government Liaison Office director Zhou Ji at the Gold Coast Yacht and Country Club in Tuen Mun. They discussed yacht tourism and marina developments.
Implementation details on easier yacht berthing at mainland ports are expected by Beijing in mid-June at the earliest. Xia also visited AsiaWorld-Expo to examine how major events can support the 15th Five-Year Plan.
