Carrie Lam Visits Thailand

Chief Executive Carrie Lam attended the 74th session of the United Nations Economic & Social Commission for Asia & the Pacific in Bangkok today.

In the morning, Mrs Lam delivered a keynote speech at the event to share Hong Kong's experience in boosting social inclusion and environmental protection to achieve sustainable development.

She said the successful implementation of "one country, two systems" since Hong Kong's return to the motherland has laid the foundation for its continued prosperity and stability.

Mrs Lam added Hong Kong will seize opportunities brought by the Belt & Road Initiative and strive to promote economic development, which she stressed should be inclusive and beneficial to all.

"Hong Kong was more than willing to help and share experience in capacity building with some emerging economies, as part of Hong Kong's contribution to the promotion of people-to-people bond in the global environment.

"Hong Kong is one of the safest and most efficient cities in the world, and over the years of our development we have accumulated a lot of experience in city management, covering areas such as firefighting, flood prevention, slope stabilisation, aviation safety, railway operation."

On environmental protection, Mrs Lam talked about Hong Kong's targets and actions in combating climate change and reducing carbon emissions. She said countries should embrace greater co-operation across political, economic and social boundaries to achieve common goals.

She also met Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and to discuss strengthening co-operation between Hong Kong and Thailand.

Mrs Lam said she was pleased about the Thai government's positive response to her proposal in last year's Policy Address to establish in Bangkok the third Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The office is expected to open early next year.

She later met the head of the China delegation to the 74th session of the commission Zhang Jun. She thanked the Central Government for its support for Hong Kong's participation as an associate member in the commission's annual session and related work over the years.

Also attending the meeting were Chinese Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Thailand Lyu Jian and Permanent Representative of China to the commission Li Hong.