Closer cooperation between Henan province and Hong Kong is a way for the special administrative region to better integrate into the overall development of the country and contribute to the nation’s needs, officials said on Tuesday at a cooperation conference in Hong Kong.
“We support Hong Kong enterprises that want to start businesses in Henan and actively participate in its high-quality development,” Hong Kong Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki said in his opening remarks.

 As early as 2016, the Hong Kong government set up a liaison office in Henan to promote exchanges and cooperation between the two places on multiple fronts.

“Meanwhile, we encourage Henan enterprises to consider Hong Kong as a bridgehead to tap the international market by making good use of Hong Kong’s professional services and grasping the opportunities brought by the development of the city’s ‘eight centers,’ ” Chan said. Hong Kong is an important trading partner for Henan and the province’s largest source of foreign investment, he added.

In the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), the country has set out eight key areas for Hong Kong to consolidate and develop: the city’s role as an international financial center, an international innovation and technology center, an East-meets-West center for international cultural exchanges, an international trade center, an international shipping center, an international aviation hub, a center for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia‑Pacific region, and a regional intellectual property trading center.

Henan, a Central China province with a huge population, a strong economy, a diversified industrial structure, and unparalleled connectivity within the country, boasts obvious advantages that could complement those of Hong Kong, he said.

According to the Henan provincial government, the province’s GDP topped 6 trillion yuan ($861 billion) last year, ranking fifth nationally.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu (right) meets Governor of Henan Province Wang Kai on Monday in Hong Kong. (PHOTO: HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

For years, Henan has had a solid collaboration ties with Hong Kong. As early as 2016, the Hong Kong government set up a liaison office in Henan to promote exchanges and cooperation between the two places on multiple fronts, including economy, trade, culture and arts, and youth development.

“We are optimistic about cooperation between Henan and Hong Kong and looking forward to making a huge contribution to the nation’s major strategies by integrating the country’s development paradigm with the advantages of the two places,” Henan Governor Wang Kai said in his speech.

The cooperation conference took place after a meeting between Wang and Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Monday.

Noting Hong Kong’s strengths for Henan enterprises to “go global” and attract foreign investment, Lee said on Monday that the province’s rich historical and cultural background could also help Hong Kong’s youth understand the country’s history, with a view to enhancing their sense of belonging to the country and national pride.

Contact the writer at evanliu@chinadailyhk.com