Guests and officials pose for a group photo at a conference tiled "Image of Sichuan, A Meeting of Recommendation" at Shangri-la Hong Kong on May 23, 2023. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

A promotional conference featuring Sichuan’s natural scenery and varied cultures was held in Hong Kong on Tuesday, aimed at deepening Hong Kong people’s understanding of the southwestern Chinese mainland province and boosting cooperation between Sichuan and the special administrative region.

Zheng Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Sichuan Provincial Committee and head of the Publicity Department of CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee, said Sichuan and Hong Kong have a strong foundation in cultural exchanges and cooperation.

Lu called for increased cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Sichuan, saying these will help Hong Kong residents better understand Chinese traditional cultures and strengthen their affirmation for the country

She believes the event will further strengthen communication and mutual understanding between the two regions.

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Lu Xinning, deputy director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s   Government in the HKSAR, said the central government has presented four giant pandas to Hong Kong since the city’s return to the motherland, and all of them were from Sichuan. 

Although Sichuan and Hong Kong are far apart geographically, the hearts of their people are connected, Lu said.

He also highlighted the economic ties between the two places, as Sichuan is one of Hong Kong's most important trading partners, and the SAR has been the largest source of investment outside the mainland for Sichuan. He noted that since the launch of the Sichuan-Hong Kong Co-operation Conference in 2018, collaboration between both sides has continued to scale new heights, with more than 6,000 Hong Kong enterprises operating in Sichuan by the end of 2022.

Lu Xinning, deputy director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, delivers a speech at the Image of Sichuan, A Meeting of Recommendation at Shangri-la Hong Kong on May 23, 2023. (CALVIN NG / CHINADAILY)

Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, delivers a speech at the Image of Sichuan, A Meeting of Recommendation at Shangri-la Hong Kong on May 23, 2023. (CALVIN NG / CHINADAILY)

Lu called for increased cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Sichuan, saying these will help Hong Kong residents better understand Chinese traditional cultures and strengthen their affirmation for the country. 

READ MORE: HK, Sichuan vow to take ties to new stage

Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, secretary for culture, sports and tourism of the HKSAR, said Sichuan has a long history of rich cultural characteristics. He expects to see more of Sichuan’s culture and art brought to Hong Kong. 

Contact the writer at mikegu@chinadailyhk.com