On the afternoon of the 20th, the 4th "Cross-Strait and Hong Kong-Macau Economic and Trade Forum" commenced at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. This forum, themed "Technology and Cultural Creativity," focuses on discussions surrounding "Internet Plus" and "Cultural Creativity," aiming to promote economic and trade exchanges and cooperation among the four regions, attracting over 200 participants from the industrial and commercial sectors.
The President of the Hong Kong Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Yang Zhao, delivered the opening speech at the forum, stating that the increasingly frequent economic and trade exchanges among the four regions bring enormous business opportunities to the Greater China market. The "Cross-Strait and Hong Kong-Macau Economic and Trade Forum," initiated in 2012, aims to establish a platform for elite talent exchange among the four regions, facilitating the capture of development opportunities and the exploration of new cooperation areas under the new international economic landscape.
The Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Paul Chan, indicated that the technology and creative industries not only bring substantial economic benefits but also can complement and drive traditional industries towards high-value development. "Internet Plus" and big data processing are practical applications of financial technology in reality.
Yang Jianping, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, stated that the forum serves as an important platform for gathering public opinion and guiding policies, as well as a microcosm of extensive exchanges, cooperation, and reunions among business groups and professionals from the four regions. He emphasized the need to unswervingly pursue a path of peaceful development to seek welfare for compatriots on both sides of the strait and to work together to achieve national rejuvenation.
The Cross-Strait and Hong Kong-Macau Economic and Trade Forum has been held for four consecutive years. In 2012, the inaugural forum was jointly organized by the Hong Kong Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, the China Federation of Industrial Economics, and the Taiwan Business Association in Hong Kong. The second and third forums were held alternately in Shenzhen and Taipei, and this year the forum returns to Hong Kong, inviting the Macau Chinese General Chamber of Commerce to join as one of the organizing institutions for the first time.
