5 February 2024
1. Convening the Plenary Meeting of the Economic Advancement Expert Group of the Chief Executive’s Policy Unit (CEPU)
The CEPU Expert Group convened the Plenary Meeting of the CEPU Economic Advancement Expert Group and invited members of the other two streams (namely the Social Development Expert Group and the Research Strategy Expert Group) to exchange views on the macro-economic situation of Hong Kong. Conducted in hybrid mode, the Expert Group members shared their views actively and had a lively discussion at the meeting.
 Professor Tang Heiwai, Associate Dean (External Relations) of the Business School of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), was invited to the Plenary Meeting to brief Expert Group members on the Hong Kong Economic Policy Green Paper 2024 (Green Paper) released by the HKU Business School on 10 January. Two members of the CEPU Research Strategy Expert Group, namely Professor Richard Wong, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of HKU, and Professor Cai Hongbin, Dean of HKU Business School, took part in the publication of the Green Paper. |
 Dr Stephen Wong, Head of the CEPU, chaired the meeting alongside the three Deputy Heads, namely, Ms Hinny Lam (second right), Dr Wang Chunxin (middle) and Mr Nicholas Kwan (second left). |
 Dr Stephen Wong, Head of the CEPU, thanked members of the Expert Group for attending the meeting in person or online to share their insights. |
 Members of the Economic Advancement Expert Group, including Mr Peter Lai, Mr Peter Kung, Mr David Lau, Mr Laurence Li, SC, Dr Levin Wang and Dr George Lam, attended the meeting. |
 Members of the Social Development Expert Group, including Mr Albert Lee, Ms Anthea Lo, Dr Lewis Luk, Mr Edward Liu, Mr Xu Lin, Mr Alan Chan, Dr Ma Jun and Mr Nicholas Chan, attended the meeting. |
 Members of the Research Strategy Expert Group, including Dr Chow Pak-chin, Mr Chang Ka-mun, Dr Francis Cheung, Professor Cai Hongbin and Professor Lau Pui-king, attended the meeting. |
2. Convening a roundtable meeting on “Closer people-to-people ties” under the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative
The CEPU convened a roundtable meeting on “Closer people-to-people ties” under the B&R Initiative. The meeting was attended by members of the CEPU Expert Group, scholars and facilitators of the B&R Initiative. Professor Thomas Chan, Member of the CEPU Expert Group and Director of the One Belt One Road Research Institute of the Hong Kong Chu Hai College, as well as Professor David A. Palmer of the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences and Department of Sociology of HKU, presented their respective research outcomes related to the B&R Initiative.
Professor Alfred Ho, Dr Chow Pak-chin, Dr Ma Jun, Dr Chloe Suen, Mr Chang Ka-mun, Professor Huang Ping of the CEPU Expert Group attended the meeting together with Ms Marjorie Yang, member of the Chief Executive’s Council of Advisers. They have actively shared their experiences in participating in the B&R Initiative as well as undertaking the relevant research work. Mr Nicholas Ho, Commissioner for Belt and Road, also attended the meeting.
 The CEPU Expert Group members, including Mr Chang Ka-mun, Dr Ma Jun, Dr Chow Pak-chin, Professor Alfred Ho, Professor Thomas Chan and Professor Huang Ping, participated in the discussion at the meeting. Professor David A. Palmer of the Department of Sociology of HKU, Ms Marjorie Yang, member of the Chief Executive’s Council of Advisers, and Mr Nicholas Ho, Commissioner for Belt and Road, also took part in the discussion. |
 Professor Thomas Chan, Member of the CEPU Expert Group and Director of the One Belt One Road Research Institute of the Hong Kong Chu Hai College of Higher Education, presented his research findings on the B&R Initiative. |
 Professor David A. Palmer of the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of Sociology of HKU shared the findings of the research he conducted with his team on the B&R Initiative. |
3. Meeting with the Research Office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Basic Law Committee and Macao Special Administrative Region Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPCSC)
The CEPU met with Mr Yang Zhaoye, Director of the Research Office of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee and Macao Special Administrative Region Basic Law Committee of the NPCSC, and his team to exchange views on issues including promotion of the Basic Law and the development of foreign-related legal systems.
 Dr Stephen Wong, Head of the CEPU (fourth left), and the research team met with Mr Yang Zhaoye, Director of the Research Office of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee and Macao Special Administrative Region Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (fourth right), and his team. |
4. Exchanging views with the China Development Institute (CDI) from Shenzhen on a study on the development of new industrialisation in Hong Kong
The CEPU visited the CDI from Shenzhen upon its invitation. It was briefed on the CDI’s preliminary study on the development path of new industrialisation in Hong Kong during the visit. The meeting was chaired by Dr Guo Wanda, Executive Vice President of the CDI and Member of the CEPU Expert Group, and Professor Lu Feng of the School of Government of the Peking University was also invited to the meeting.
 Dr Stephen Wong, Head of the CEPU, led a research team to Shenzhen to visit the CDI from Shenzhen, and was briefed on a preliminary study on the development path of new industrialisation in Hong Kong. |
5. Attending the “New Development Opportunities Brought by Digital Economy” Summit and delivering a keynote speech
Dr Stephen Wong, Head of the CEPU and Mr Nicholas Kwan, Deputy Head of the CEPU, were invited to attend the “New Development Opportunities Brought by Digital Economy” Summit. Dr Wong and Mr Kwan jointly delivered a keynote speech on the theme of “Promoting High Quality Development by Digital Economy” via video conferencing and in person respectively.
 Dr Stephen Wong, Head of the CEPU, participated in the “New Development Opportunities Brought by Digital Economy” Summit via video conferencing. |
 Mr Nicholas Kwan, Deputy Head of the CEPU, attended the “New Development Opportunities Brought by Digital Economy” Summit in person, and together with Dr Stephen Wong, Head of the CEPU (participating via video conferencing), delivered a keynote speech on the theme of “Promoting High Quality Development by Digital Economy”. |
6. Exchanges with the Economic Policy Committee of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC)
Dr Stephen Wong, Head of the CEPU, attended the meeting of the Economic Policy Committee of the HKGCC upon invitation to brief its members on the initiatives related to Hong Kong’s long-term economic development as announced in the Chief Executive’s Policy Address and exchange views with them.
 Dr Stephen Wong, Head of the CEPU, attended the meeting of the Economic Policy Committee of the HKGCC upon invitation. Attendees included Dr Pang Yiu-kai, Member of the General Committee of the HKGCC, Ms Agnes Chan, Deputy Chairman of the General Committee of the HKGCC, Mr Jim Taylor, Chairman of the Economic Policy Committee of the HKGCC, Mr Patrick Yeung, Chief Executive Officer of the HKGCC, and The Hon Benson Luk, Vice Chairman of the Economic Policy Committee of the HKGCC. |
7. Visiting Sha Tau Kok
It was proposed in the 2023 Policy Address that the Sha Tau Kok Frontier Closed Area would be gradually opened up by establishing the Sha Tau Kok Cultural Tourism Zone. Dr Stephen Wong, Head of the CEPU, and his team visited Sha Tau Kok. Mr Freeman Lau, culturalist and Chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Design and Creative Industries (FHKDCI), also joined the visit.
 Dr Stephen Wong, Head of the CEPU, posed for a photo with Mr Freeman Lau, Chairman of the FHKDCI (third right) at a “check-in spot” in Sha Tau Kok. |
8. Visiting a plastic bottle recycling plant and exploring circular economy
Dr Stephen Wong, Head of the CEPU, and his research team visited New Life Plastics’ recycling facility at EcoPark in Tuen Mun to learn about the process of recycling plastic bottles and turning them into valuable raw materials. There were exchange of views on the development of circular economy in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA).
 Dr Stephen Wong, Head of the CEPU, and the representatives of Swire Coca Cola had a lively discussion on the business opportunities brought about by turning plastic bottles into valuable raw materials. They also exchanged views on the development of circular economy in Hong Kong and the GBA. |
 The CEPU’s research team visited the plastics recycling facility of New Life Plastics. |
9. Attending the Launching Ceremony of the Policy Lab for Hong Kong Talent Development
Ms Hinny Lam, Deputy Head of the CEPU, attended the Launching Ceremony of the Policy Lab for Hong Kong Talent Development, a project led by Professor Alfred Ho, Member of the CEPU Expert Group and Head of the Department of Public and International Affairs of the City University of Hong Kong (CityU), and participated in the guest discussion.
 Ms Hinny Lam (third left), Deputy Head of the CEPU, posed for a group photo with Professor Alfred Ho (seventh right), Member of the CEPU Expert Group and Head of the Department of Public and International Affairs of the CityU, as well as other scholars and guests at the Launching Ceremony of the Policy Lab for Hong Kong Talent Development. |