John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, continued his visit programme in Hainan today (25 March). He met and exchanged views with leaders of Hainan Province and Haikou City respectively. He also visited local high-tech enterprises and infrastructure projects.

In the morning, John Lee met with Feng Fei, Secretary of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee, and Liu Xiaoming, Governor of Hainan Province, to exchange views on further strengthening Hainan–Hong Kong co‑operation.

John Lee noted that last year, Hainan and Hong Kong signed the Memorandum of Co-operation between the People’s Government of Hainan Province and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, covering areas including economic and trade investment, finance, tourism and talent exchange, so as to advance broader, deeper and higher-level exchanges and co‑operation.

Economic and trade relations between the two sides have been further strengthened. Last year, more than 790 new Hong Kong-invested enterprises were set up in Hainan, with the investment from Hong Kong businessmen exceeding 18 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year increase of over 20 per cent.

John Lee later visited a high-tech enterprise in Haikou, where he was briefed by enterprise representatives on its innovative technologies, latest developments in high technologies and related opportunities.

John Lee said the HKSAR Government attaches great importance to the development of innovation and technology and emerging industries, and welcomes more enterprises to establish a presence in Hong Kong.