logo
Hong Kong, Zhejiang province sign deal covering smart cities, AI and fintech

Hong Kong, Zhejiang province sign deal covering smart cities, AI and fintech

Hong Kong and mainland China's Zhejiang province, known as the country's technology stronghold, have signed a deal covering 13 key areas and 51 projects, with a focus on smart cities,
artificial intelligence (AI) and fintech, according to Chief Executive
John Lee Ka-chiu
Advertisement
The city leader also said on Thursday that both sides had set up the 'Zhejiang-Hong Kong Cooperation Conference' mechanism, designed to better harness their strengths to seize major opportunities for high-quality development and opening up, with Lee pledging support to help the province's enterprises expand overseas.
The partnership memorandum was signed when Lee attended the first plenary session of the Hong Kong-Zhejiang Cooperation Conference on the third day of his visit to provincial capital Hangzhou.
Those projects covered key cooperation areas such as co-building the
Belt and Road Initiative , trade and investment, finance and aviation, Lee said. The belt and road strategy is China's plan to grow global trade.
Meanwhile, the two sides also signed another four cooperation agreements and letters of intent covering technology innovation, housing, trade and youth development.
Hong Kong and Zhejiang officials in Hangzhou. Both sides have signed a deal covering 13 areas and 51 projects. Photo: Handout
Lee said the two local governments would focus on collaborating in areas such as smart cities, AI, fintech, biomedicine, microelectronics, new materials and new energy.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

20% tourist spike in May as more than 4 million visit Hong Kong
20% tourist spike in May as more than 4 million visit Hong Kong

South China Morning Post

time25 minutes ago

  • South China Morning Post

20% tourist spike in May as more than 4 million visit Hong Kong

Hong Kong welcomed more than 4 million visitors in May, marking a 20 per cent year-on-year increase, with authorities attributing the surge to the Labour Day 'golden week' holiday. According to provisional figures released by the Tourism Board on Monday, more than 3.1 million of the total visitors in May were from mainland China, representing a 19 per cent rise from last year. The number of non-mainland tourists also increased significantly, by 24 per cent from last May, reaching 955,345. Of these, 56.2 per cent were short-haul visitors. The Tourism Board said that last month's increase was due to the Labour Day holiday, which ran from May 1 to 5 on the mainland, alongside a range of citywide activities including large-scale concerts, meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibition events. Overall, more than 20 million visitors arrived in Hong Kong between January and May, a 12 per cent year-on-year increase. While visitors from the mainland made up the majority of Hong Kong's tourist population and showed a 10 per cent growth from January to May, other visitors showed a higher growth of 18 per cent.

Work-life balance top reason for Hongkongers quitting jobs, survey finds
Work-life balance top reason for Hongkongers quitting jobs, survey finds

South China Morning Post

time37 minutes ago

  • South China Morning Post

Work-life balance top reason for Hongkongers quitting jobs, survey finds

The primary motivation for Hongkongers who have quit their jobs or are considering resignation is the desire to improve their work-life balance, a recent survey has found, with the proportion rising 5.9 per cent year on year. The annual study, commissioned by major recruitment agency Randstad, surveyed more than 170,000 people globally, including 2,599 in Hong Kong, through online interviews. Among the Hong Kong respondents, 40 per cent were millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, and 20 per cent belonged to Generation Z, born after 1997. According to the results, 38.3 per cent said that 'improving work-life balance' had been one of the motivations for quitting their jobs, while the proportion last year was 32.4 per cent. Other top reasons this year included 'pay does not meet rising cost of living', which was picked by 27.3 per cent of respondents, while 25.2 per cent linked their departure to receiving 'an offer I could not refuse'. Benjamin Elms, managing director at Randstad Hong Kong, said the definition of work-life balance had evolved significantly over the past couple of years. 'What began as a desire to work from home has quickly expanded to include autonomy in managing priorities, having reasonable workloads, clear direction from leadership and good relationships with managers and colleagues,' Elms said.

Hong Kong named third most Muslim-friendly non-Islamic travel hotspot
Hong Kong named third most Muslim-friendly non-Islamic travel hotspot

South China Morning Post

time2 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

Hong Kong named third most Muslim-friendly non-Islamic travel hotspot

Hong Kong has been recognised as the third most Muslim-friendly travel destination in the world among non-Islamic economies, according to the Mastercard-CrescentRating 2025 Global Muslim Travel Index. Although this marks a one-place improvement for the city, some industry insiders believe there is still potential for better attracting more visitors. On Friday, the Hong Kong Tourism Board announced the ranking, and the city was also awarded the title of 'Most Promising Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year.' CrescentRating, a Singapore-based research and consultancy firm specialising in the Muslim travel market, was commissioned by the Hong Kong Tourism Board last year to assess and rate the city's facilities for their Muslim-friendliness. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on social media that he was 'delighted' with the latest ranking. 'These international accolades fully recognise Hong Kong's efforts in promoting halal tourism,' he said, noting that creating a more Muslim-friendly environment for travellers was part of his policy address last year. 'I am grateful for the active participation of various industries in promoting halal tourism, which has significantly enhanced our tourism offerings. 'Moving forward, the government will continue to strengthen promotional efforts to highlight Hong Kong's Muslim-friendly image and encourage more businesses to provide high-quality services.' Supporting Hong Kong's Muslim community during Ramadan Board chairman Peter Lam Kin-ngok expressed delight at the accolades and said that his office, in collaboration with the government and tourism trade partners, had worked together to position Hong Kong as a Muslim-friendly destination. 'We have done this through a three-pronged approach of accreditation, education and promotion to diversify the city's visitor source markets and visitor segments,' he said. 'We have also facilitated the fostering of closer ties between Hong Kong, the Middle East, and Asean countries in recent years.' The report highlighted Hong Kong's accelerated efforts to attract Muslim visitors, aiming to diversify its market. It noted that since June last year, more than 60 establishments had received Muslim-friendly accreditation from CrescentRating. According to the firm, which has so far rated 61 of the city's hotels for their Muslim-friendliness, nine hotels achieved the highest score of five, including the Island Shangri-La, Dorsett Tsuen Wan and Kerry Hotel. The firm's ratings run from one to seven, but its guidelines state that the higher scores of six and seven are reserved for specialised accommodation catering to 'halal-conscious' travellers, offering halal food and meeting most of their specific needs. The latest list was topped by Singapore, followed by the United Kingdom in second place. Taiwan secured fourth place, with Thailand ranking fifth. Among Islamic destinations, Malaysia was first, followed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia. Sharifa Leung, founder of the food products supply and consultancy business Hani Halal, said that while progress had been made in the city, significant challenges remained beneath the surface, especially when it came to businesses' genuine understanding of Halal practices and Muslim culture. Hong Kong aims to boost halal tourism with new accreditations and facilities. Photo: Dickson Lee 'Many businesses, including hotels and restaurants, lack proper training for their staff,' said Leung, a third-generation Muslim Hongkonger. 'They are eager to get certification, but it may be too rushed and before they fully understand the reasons behind some of the practices.' For instance, she noted that some tourist attractions or accommodation provided ablution facilities for Muslims, who pray five times a day, but failed to realise that separate facilities for men and women were needed, often resulting in only one shared unit. In other cases, prayer rooms featured large, reflective windows, conflicting with Islamic practice where distractions while praying should be avoided. Muslim community in Tunisia uses artificial intelligence to preserve heritage Some food businesses also lacked understanding of halal practices, and assumed dishes could be considered halal after prayers, while others confused Urdu script for Arabic. 'While expanding halal food options in restaurants and hotels is essential, enhancing the overall tourist experience is equally important,' Leung said. 'We must strengthen the involvement of the Muslim community, foster connections and organise events that specifically attract Muslim travellers,' he added. 'Investing in professional training will ensure that hospitality personnel are sensitive to the dietary preferences of all visitors.' Establishments owned or managed by Muslim staff tended to gain the trust of travellers from the same culture, she noted.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store