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Here comes the Year of the Rabbit

Rabbits are a symbol of good luck and vitality. On the first day of the Year of the Rabbit, may I wish you all happiness and health throughout the year and beyond!

Wishing the people of Hong Kong good fortune and health at the start of the year!

I just returned from Switzerland yesterday after making a four-day trip to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos. During the various discussion sessions, I exchanged views with political and business leaders from around the world in such areas as the global macro-economic environment, climate and sustainable development as well as developments in finance and technologies, updated them on the latest situation of Hong Kong and promoted actively the enormous opportunities offered by the city.

Attending the WEF Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland last week.

It was my third overseas visit since Hong Kong started stepping towards to normalcy. In addition to meeting representatives of countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and in the Middle East, I spent more time meeting people from Europe and North America this time. All these visits have brought me deep thoughts. First, although the epidemic has disrupted our connection with the rest of the world over the past three years, many foreign enterprises still have much care and positivism about Hong Kong’s development, and are highly interested in doing business here. Second, we do have many good and old friends who are willing to support the city by offering us advice even when we were in hard times facing various challenges. Third, however advanced technology is and however convenient virtual meetings are, they can neither replace face-to-face meetings and sincere reaching out, nor explanation and interactions in person.

Delivering a speech at a gathering co-hosted by the Co-chair of the Hong Kong-Europe Business Council, Mr Victor Chu, and the Chairman of Credit Suisse, Mr Axel Lehmann

By actively participating in more international conferences and having more exchanges in person, we can better understand the views and concerns of the international political and business community. We can effectively explain and clarify certain stereotypes or misconceptions. We can also provide updated information and different points of view towards doubts and worries. What is more, we can make timely, appropriate and more comprehensive responses to address their areas of concern. Not only do these face-to-face exchanges allow the outside world to get a fuller picture of the enormous opportunities lying ahead of Hong Kong, but they also enable us to look at our own inadequacies from different perspectives and seek improvements.

Delivering a speech at a breakfast meeting “Hong Kong Perspectives: Connectivity in an Evolving World”.

As stressed in my speeches and interventions at the Annual Meeting and during my exchanges with many of the participants, Hong Kong’s development, whether arising from giving fuller and more active play to the various important roles our Country has entrusted us under the 14th Five-Year Plan, or by economically integrating into and facilitating the strategic development in the Greater Bay Area, would create more opportunities for our partners. In fact, with rifted global political and economic relations, we always truly believe that only when all sides seek to cooperate sincerely with each other could we achieve win-win and create favourable conditions for sustainable global development. Through innovations in science and technology or business models, the world could solve difficulties faced by societies, combat climate change, improve the well-being of humankind and create more business opportunities. And by this, we can bring the global economy out of crisis, and open up new horizons of development. This fully echoes the theme of this year’s WEF Annual Meeting.

I met with Professor Klaus Schwab, the Founder and Executive Chairman of WEF, and presented him with a spring couplet for commemoration.

I met with the Minister of Investment of Indonesia Mr Bahlil Lahadalia.

During the Annual Meeting, some participants did expressconcerns to me about certain political matters. Direct explanation and communication did help enhance mutual understanding, even though opinions might remain divided. But more importantly, we were able to bring the voices and views of Hong Kong into international meetings, so that our overseas counterparts could listen to stories about Hong Kong from an all-round perspective.

Amid a hectic schedule, I still managed to take some time to introduce Hong Kong – including our culture, scenery and cuisines to the participants of the Annual Meeting and the locals. I invited them visit Hong Kong and experience the city’s vibrancy and opportunities in person. Indeed, in a foreign place, one may be rewarded with friendly responses or even surprises by just initiating a chat with someone you have never met!

During my visit to the Switzerland, I took the initiative to introduce Hong Kong to the locals and participants of the Annual Meeting, and invite them to visit Hong Kong.

All in all, as we attended international meetings in person and took part in interactions and discussions with other participants, we were able to grasp a fuller picture of the views, stances and concerns of international political and business leaders. As we went into the local community to promote Hong Kong’s appeal in tourism, we have learnt about perception and impression of Hong Kong by members of the general public. All-round interactions help us understand the world’s views about Hong Kong more comprehensive; in response, we can devise more focused and useful narratives to promote the strengths and development potentials of Hong Kong. It is necessary to step up work on promoting Hong Kong to all levels of people from elites to members the general public.

January 22, 2023