The Chief Executive, John Lee, continued his visit to Harbin today (Feb. 10) to meet with leaders of Heilongjiang Province. He also met with the injured Hong Kong ice hockey athletes and Hong Kong people working and doing business in the three northeastern provinces, and visited the Beidahuang Museum.
Lee met respectively with the Secretary of the CPC Heilongjiang Provincial Committee, Xu Qin, and the Governor of Heilongjiang Province, Liang Huiling, to exchange views on issues of mutual concern. Lee noted that Heilongjiang Province has leveraged the ice and snow economy as a new engine for economic development by making good use of its rich ice and snow tourism resources while actively promoting winter sports. He added that Heilongjiang Province sets an example of integrating sports with cultural and tourism development, which is inspiring to Hong Kong.
Noting that Hong Kong and Heilongjiang share close economic and trade ties, with Hong Kong being the largest source of external investment for Heilongjiang, Lee said that Hong Kong, as a "super connector" and "super value-adder", can serve the Mainland in exploring global markets.
Regarding people-to-people exchanges, Lee highlighted that the Individual Visit Scheme has been extended to include Harbin in Heilongjiang Province since May last year, while direct flights between Harbin and Hong Kong were officially launched in June last year. These developments have strengthened tourism cooperation between the two places and promoted people-to-people bonds. The Beijing Office and Liaoning Liaison Unit of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to serve as a bridge to enhance exchanges between Hong Kong and Heilongjiang in various areas, he added.
Lee also went to the athletes' village to visit the Hong Kong ice hockey players who were injured yesterday (Feb. 9) after the match, to understand their condition and offer his support. Lee said he is highly concerned about the attack on Hong Kong athletes and has requested the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, and the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Bureau to follow up on the incident and make every effort to ensure the safety of athletes. Lee noted that the Hong Kong athletes had remained calm and restrained during the incident, demonstrating professionalism and sportsmanship. He also praised the ice hockey team for their outstanding performance in the past competitions, making Hong Kong people proud. He encouraged the athletes not to let the incident affect their morale, to take good care of themselves, and to give their best in the games, showcasing the professionalism of Hong Kong athletes. He also assured them that the people of Hong Kong would fully support them.
At noon, Lee met with Hong Kong people working and doing business in the three northeastern provinces to learn about their daily lives and development. He said that Hong Kong people and enterprises there serve as an essential bridge between Hong Kong and the three provinces. He encouraged them to introduce Hong Kong's latest developments to local enterprises and tell the good stories of Hong Kong.
In the afternoon, Lee visited the Beidahuang Museum in Harbin to understand the transformation of the Great Northern Wilderness, a plain region in northeastern Heilongjiang Province, from a barren wilderness into a key commodity grain base and a strategic grain reserve base of the country. He also gained insights into the Beidahuang Spirit, which embodies perseverance, resilience, and a pioneering mindset.
Separately, the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, had a work meeting with the Director-General of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Heilongjiang Province, Ms He Jing, this afternoon. They had discussions on ways to strengthen cultural and tourism collaborations between Hong Kong and Heilongjiang. During the meeting, Miss Law gave a briefing on the latest developments in Hong Kong's culture and tourism. She said that the cultural and tourism resources of Hong Kong and Heilongjiang are unique in their own ways. While Hong Kong, as a world city, is always innovating in integrating culture and tourism, Heilongjiang is famous for its magnificent ice and snow attractions. With significant potential for collaboration between the two places, Miss Law expressed hope to expand the market and drive bilateral tourism flow with Heilongjiang in the future.
Lee and the other officials will return to Hong Kong tomorrow (Feb. 11).
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