On March 27, Chief Executive John Lee attended the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025 and met with Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Lee highlighted the development potential of Hong Kong's fisheries and agriculture sectors, emphasizing the city's rigorous food safety standards and strong reputation. He aims for Hong Kong to become a hub for food processing and international trade, adding value to high-quality agricultural products from the mainland and promoting them in global markets.
Lee expressed an interest in collaborating with the FAO to share Hong Kong's expertise in estimating the environmental carrying capacity of fish farming areas using water quality simulation systems, targeting sustainable development in Southeast Asia.
Qu had previously visited Hong Kong in February to explore the city's agricultural development. During their meeting, Lee introduced Hong Kong's advantages as an international metropolis, boasting world-class hotels, conference facilities, and renowned academic institutions. He offered the government's assistance should the FAO wish to hold meetings in Hong Kong.
Lee stated that engaging with the FAO would help modernize and upgrade Hong Kong's agriculture and fisheries sectors. Sharing agricultural data could provide scientific support for policymaking, and Hong Kong hopes to learn from successful practices in other regions through the FAO's international conferences and forums.
Regarding climate change, Lee affirmed Hong Kong's commitment to addressing this global challenge. He noted that carbon emissions have decreased by about 25% from their peak in 2023, with per capita emissions down nearly 30%, representing one-fourth of the United States and 60% of the European Union. Hong Kong plans to continue its efforts to halve carbon emissions by 2035 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
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