Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki hailed on Sunday the deepening ties between Hong Kong and Shaanxi after he paid a two-day visit to the northwestern Chinese province and exchanged views with local leaders on further enhancing cooperation between the two places.

Chan called on Secretary of the CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee Zhao Yide on Saturday and discussed deepening Hong Kong-Shaanxi exchanges and cooperation. Xu Qifang, executive deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, also attended the meeting.

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Since the signing of the Strengthening Hong Kong/Shaanxi Co-operation Agreement and a series of Memoranda of Understanding in areas such as legal services, education, and tourism in 2024, the growing ties between Hong Kong and Shaanxi have yielded fruitful results under the support of the central government, Chan said.  

He added that cooperation in various aspects between the two places, in particular in the areas of cultural exchanges, educational cooperation, and innovation and technology, can be strengthened to achieve complementary advantages in the future.

During the meeting, Chan also expressed his gratitude for the invitation by the Shaanxi Provincial People's Government to the memorial ceremony for legendary emperor Huang Di during the Qingming Festival.

He said that the event was significant, connecting descendants of the Yan and Huang emperors from around the world to worship together the earliest mythical ruler Huang Di, and to pass on the good moral quality of treasuring historical legacies for the Chinese nation.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government's participation can help Hong Kong citizens to gain a deeper understanding of the origin of the Chinese civilization, building a stronger sense of national identity and affection, Chan said.

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He also expressed hope for strengthening cooperation in patriotic education with Shaanxi in the future, enabling Hong Kong residents, especially the younger generation, to gain a deeper understanding of and identification with the nation and Chinese culture.

Chan concluded his visit after attending the memorial ceremony on Sunday morning, and returned to Hong Kong in the afternoon.