Mrs Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, who is on an official visit to Singapore, called on and was hosted to dinner by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong today (3 August 2017). 

     Prime Minister Lee and Chief Executive Lam reaffirmed the close relations between Singapore and Hong Kong and noted that the two cities share many similarities and challenges.  While both cities compete in some areas, there are also many fields in which both sides cooperate with each other.  They discussed deepening Singapore-Hong Kong and ASEAN-Hong Kong cooperation in wide-ranging areas including trade and investment, finance, civil aviation, and exploring potential collaboration on the Belt and Road Initiative.  They welcomed the conclusion of the ASEAN-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement negotiations on 31 July 2017 and looked forward to its signing and early implementation. Prime Minister Lee congratulated Chief Executive Lam on the 20th anniversary of the return of Hong Kong to the Mainland this year and noted that both sides have an interest in the success of “One Country, Two Systems”.   

     Chief Executive Lam also attended a lunch hosted by Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Teo Chee Hean at the Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) in National University of Singapore University Town and called on Emeritus Senior Minister (ESM) Goh Chok Tong at the Istana earlier in the day.  DPM Teo and Chief Executive Lam exchanged views on tertiary and vocational education, research and development, as well as civil service training and reform.  DPM Teo expressed confidence that Hong Kong will continue to prosper with its increasing integration with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.  Chief Executive Lam discussed with ESM Goh the key priorities of her Administration, including in the areas of economic development, housing and education.  They also discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two cities, such as innovation and technology, transportation, civil aviation, culture, human resource development and civil service exchanges.    

      Chief Executive Lam also visited and received briefings at the Urban Redevelopment Authority on Singapore’s developmental plans for the second Central Business District in the Jurong Lake District; the Civil Service College on civil service training; and the GovTech Hive on Singapore's efforts in harnessing technology in government operations to serve the public better. 

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

3 AUGUST 2017