A: Over the 29 years since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, economic and trade exchanges between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong have continued to deepen and improve. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has always been an important trading partner of the Chinese mainland, and has achieved high-quality development of its own while integrating into and contributing to the country’s overall development.

Over the past 29 years, through the mechanism of the economic and trade cooperation committee, the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong have continuously raised the level of openness under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). The Chinese mainland has fully liberalized trade in goods with Hong Kong, basically realized liberalization of trade in services, and carried out extensive and practical cooperation in trade and investment facilitation. At the same time, we have actively advanced the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in the field of commerce, strongly supported Hong Kong’s participation in the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of the overseas comprehensive service system, ensured the stable and safe supply of agricultural and associated products to Hong Kong, and effectively promoted and safeguarded Hong Kong’s economic and social development.

This year marks the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30). We will work together with the government of the Hong Kong SAR to promote a new round of CEPA upgrading, further deepen economic and trade exchanges and cooperation between the two sides, help Hong Kong consolidate and enhance its status as an international financial, shipping and trade center, and safeguard and promote the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.