The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So, will leave Hong Kong tomorrow (May 19) for a duty visit to London in the United Kingdom (UK) and Vilnius in Lithuania to deepen bilateral ties between Hong Kong and the two countries, and promote Hong Kong's unique role for UK and Lithuanian enterprises under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Mr So will arrive in London on May 20 for the first leg of his visit. In London, he will deliver a speech at a seminar on creative industries and meet with local business leaders, and will officiate at the opening ceremony of the new office of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London. He will also visit Campus London, which is a start-up facility in East London's Tech City, and the Central Saint Martins college of arts and design of the University of the Arts London.
On May 21, Mr So will visit the Warner Bros Studio and a bicycle manufacturer, and will view the operation of food trucks in London. He will also meet with the Chinese business community as well as representatives of the design and fashion sector.
Mr So will pay a visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum on May 22. He will also watch a training session of the 2016 London Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival and talk to participants from the Hong Kong community. In addition, he will meet with representatives of the UK Chapter of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, and attend a gathering with Hong Kong students and young professionals in the UK.
On May 23, Mr So will attend a breakfast roundtable at Chatham House. He will later have meetings with government officials and Members of Parliament of the UK to exchange views on issues of mutual concern. He will also call on the Chinese Embassy in London.
During his stay in Vilnius on May 24 and 25, Mr So will meet with Lithuanian government officials and the business sector to foster bilateral relations between Hong Kong and Lithuania. He will also deliver a speech at a business seminar co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London; Invest Hong Kong; and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. In addition, Mr So will call on the Chinese Embassy in Lithuania and will also visit a life science centre, Vilnius University and the Visoriai Information Technology Park, as well as a start-up accelerator, the Startup Highway.
Mr So will return to Hong Kong on May 26. The Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Godfrey Leung, will be the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development during Mr So's absence.