Open, candid US-China dialogue ‘more crucial than ever’ and Hong Kong has key role in bay area ties, finance chief Paul Chan says
- Financial Secretary Paul Chan touts Hong Kong’s role in boosting cooperation efforts between bay areas of two superpowers at forum in Berkeley, California
- Officials sign deals to strengthen exchanges on climate issues and bilateral trade between the bay area in southern China and the one in San Francisco
The maintenance of open and candid communication between China and the US is “more crucial than ever” and Hong Kong can play a key role in boosting the cooperation efforts of the superpowers’ bay areas, the city’s finance chief has said.
Hong Kong officials were part of the first joint delegation which included senior officials from Macau and Guangdong province hoping to promote Beijing’s bay area plan.
The plan aims to turn Hong Kong, Macau and nine Guangdong cities into a hi-tech economic powerhouse by 2035.
The US side was represented by California Governor Gavin Newsom – the first American governor to visit mainland China and Hong Kong after the Covid-19 pandemic – and environment officials.
“Given the many pressing issues we face today, from climate change to geopolitical crises, it is more crucial than ever that we maintain open and candid communications,” Chan told the audience at the “Bay to Bay Dialogue” forum following a brief welcome note by Newsom.
