On the afternoon of September 9, 2021, the Information Office of the State Council held a press conference. Chen Wenjun, director of the Information Bureau and spokesman of the Press Bureau, said at the press conference that recently, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued the "Overall Plan for the Construction of the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone" (hereinafter referred to as the "Hengqin Plan") and the "Plan for Comprehensively Deepening the Reform and Opening Up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone" (hereinafter referred to as the "Qianhai Plan"). Today we held a press conference to interpret these two plans and introduce the development and construction of Hengqin and Qianhai, and answer the questions of media reporters. Today's press conference was held in the form of the main venue in Beijing and the three sub-venues in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.
When introducing the list of publishers, Chen Wenjun pointed out that the press conference was attended at the main venue in Beijing: Mr. Cong Liang, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission and deputy director of the Office of the Leading Group for the Construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Mr. Xu Hongcai, vice minister of finance, Mr. Pan Gongsheng, vice president of the Chinese Bank and director of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, and Mr. Zou Zhiwu, deputy director of the General Administration of Customs. Attending the press conference at the Guangdong branch venue were: Mr. Lin Keqing, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and Executive Vice Governor, and Mr. Qin Weizhong, Deputy Secretary of the Shenzhen Municipal Party Committee and Mayor. Attending the press conference at the Hong Kong breakout venue was Mr Lee Ka-chiu, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Attending the press conference at the Macao branch venue was Mr. Cheung Wing Chun, Secretary for Administration and Justice of the Macao SAR Government.
Li Jiachao, in response to a reporter from the Southern Metropolis Daily on the main situation of Qianhai's promotion of Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation in recent years and how we will promote in-depth cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong in the next step, said that the cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen has created a unique twin-city story in the country's reform and opening up for more than 40 years, fully embodying the mutual benefit and win-win relationship needed by Hong Kong to contribute to the country's strengths. The launch of the Qianhai Plan will help promote a higher level of Hong Kong-Shenzhen cooperation and give play to the "dual engine" function of the two places in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Li Jiachao pointed out that with the support of the central government, the Hong Kong and Shenzhen governments have been working hard to enhance the development level of Qianhai and facilitate the settlement of Hong Kong professional services in Qianhai. In recent years, Qianhai has launched policy measures to further open up professional services, which are widely welcomed by the Hong Kong industry. For example, in terms of legal services, Qianhai took the lead as a pilot project for Hong Kong and Mainland law firms to set up partnerships and joint ventures of law firms, and after summarizing the experience of the pilot, it has now been implemented throughout the Mainland. Qianhai first tested the Hong Kong-funded Hong Kong Law, allowing Hong Kong-funded enterprises registered in Qianhai to choose Hong Kong law as the applicable law for civil and commercial contracts. In addition, qualified Hong Kong lawyers and barristers have obtained certificates of practice through examinations to provide some legal services in nine cities in the Greater Bay Area, including Shenzhen. In terms of construction and related engineering professional services, qualified Hong Kong consultancy firms, contractors and professionals can provide services directly in Qianhai by means of filing, corresponding to the corresponding qualifications in the mainland, and the measures cover five aspects: construction, engineering, surveying, planning and parking.
Li Jiachao said that the HONG KONG SAR government will discuss with the relevant ministries and commissions of the central government how to implement the measures to further open up trade in services in the Qianhai Plan as soon as possible through the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), and ask Hong Kong's professional service industry to make corresponding arrangements and arrangements as soon as possible. The HKSAR Government, together with relevant industries, will provide advice and cooperation to Qianhai in terms of finance, innovation and technology, law and business environment after the expansion.
Li Jiachao stressed that at the same time, the Hong Kong SAR Government will strengthen cooperation with the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Shenzhen Municipal Government on the good basis of the "Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Dream Factory" and the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Hong Kong Youth Entrepreneurship Funding Scheme" to further support Hong Kong youth to innovate and start businesses in Qianhai.
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