He told Sun Yeli, party secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism during a closed-doors meeting that Hong Kong’s tourism industry had made a fast recovery after the last Covid-related travel restrictions were lifted earlier this year.
Lee added that the number of visitors to the city in the third quarter of the year had hit about 70 per cent of the figures for the same period in 2017 and 2018.
Details of the talks were released by the city’s government.
Lee was speaking as he visited two ministries in Beijing – the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Science and Technology – a day after he updated state leaders on Hong Kong’s political and economic development.
He pledged that the city administration would continue to leverage Hong Kong’s role as an international tourism hub and as a showcase for multi-destination tourism.
9 million travellers expected to pass through Hong Kong over festive season
9 million travellers expected to pass through Hong Kong over festive season
Lee earlier met Yin Hejun, the science and technology minister, and thanked the ministry for signing a cross-border agreement with the Hong Kong government in March that “signified a new chapter for science and technology cooperation”.
Lee also told mainland officials that his administration was “moving full steam ahead” with the development of the Northern Metropolis and that he looked forward to more cooperation in innovation and technology.
The government release said Lee pledged to develop Hong Kong into a collaborative innovation centre, with a view to “pooling global innovation resources”.
Hong Kong leader John Lee says cross-border tech hub will be reality by 2035
Hong Kong leader John Lee says cross-border tech hub will be reality by 2035
Lee is expected to visit the National Development and Reform Commission on Wednesday and return to Hong Kong later in the day.
President Xi Jinping on Monday praised Lee for safeguarding national security and steering the district council system back onto the right track.
The country’s leader appealed to Lee’s administration to unite society and boost the city’s development by seizing the “historic opportunities” offered by national development.