Hong Kong has received 290,000 applications under various talent admission schemes, as of April, with about 180,000 of them approved, the city’s leader said on Monday.

Of the approved applicants, over 120,000 talents have already arrived in the city, John Lee Ka-chiu said while meeting with Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping.

The HKSAR government has been proactively attracting talent from the mainland and overseas through different policy measures, he said, as they exchanged views on the city government's initiatives to attract global talent and deepen talent collaboration between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong.

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Welcoming Wang's visit to the city with her delegation to attend the Global Talent Summit Hong Kong and its series of events, Lee said the strategy of trawling for and retaining talent is one of the priorities of the current-term SAR government, the government said in a statement.

Also on Monday, the National Immigration Administration implemented a number of measures to facilitate the public and enterprises' arrival in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Talent Engage, which was established by the Hong Kong government last year, has organized the two-day summit starting Tuesday.

It is the first talent-themed international forum and exhibition of the current-term HKSAR government, with a view to promoting Hong Kong's dual role and advantages as an international talent hub and the country's gateway for talent, said Lee.

Also on Monday, the National Immigration Administration implemented a number of measures to facilitate the public and enterprises' arrival in Hong Kong, including the extension of the period of stay for holders of an exit endorsement for business visits traveling to Hong Kong, and the expansion of application of the talent exit endorsement to Beijing and Shanghai.

The Hong Kong leader thanked the central government for its support for the policy directions of the SAR government by introducing various measures to support the city in attracting talent.

The measures will enhance convenience for mainland business people and traders who travel to Hong Kong and promote exchanges between the business community of the mainland and Hong Kong, he said.

The HKSAR government will foster talent cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong and promote training and mutual recognition of qualifications of vocational skilled talent, he added.

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It will also maintain close liaison with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security to further promote the connection and exchange of talent between the mainland and Hong Kong, and attract more top-notch talent and enterprises from all over the world to Hong Kong, making greater contributions to the high-quality development of the country, said Lee.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han and Director of the Chief Executive's Office Carol Yip Man Kuen also attended the meeting.