Long-term partnerships exemplify benefits

Visitors attend an exhibition marking cooperative achievements between Sichuan and Hong Kong over the past 40 years. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

To see an example of the benefits that come from Chengdu-Hong Kong cooperation, look no further than the education field.

The Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction at Sichuan University was built by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, which offered aid funds worth HK$1 billion ($127.5 million) after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake.

In May, a governmental delegation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, led by Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, visited Sichuan and stopped at the institute.

The Dujiangyan base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda is aided by the Hong Kong government. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Cheung Leong, an executive at the club, said Sichuan's position is unique among the provinces that have relationships with the club.

Because of profound affection for Sichuan generated by the aid, Chueng was quite familiar with the seven projects aided and built by the club.

Liao Tianzhi is a senior nurse at West China Hospital of Sichuan University, who finished oral defense of master's thesis last year of the Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction, a collaboration between Sichuan University and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Liao said he is very grateful for the institute providing him with internationalized and high-level disaster nursing care education.

Participants attend the Sichuan-Hong Kong-Macao Cooperation Week held in Hong Kong. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Gretchen Kalonji, dean of the institute, said the Hong Kong Jockey Club has offered initial capital to the institute, including 120 million yuan ($17.24 million) for constructing buildings and laboratories and 80 million yuan for teaching and training projects.

She said the institute has jointly trained 71 doctoral candidates and 244 master candidates, and trained more than 5,000 people for a short term since it was launched in 2013.

Chueng said the institute is an innovative one among all the aid projects.

"West China Hospital of Sichuan University is well-known and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University wins wide praise in the recovery field," Chueng said. "Using advantages of the two sides can train professionals with a better global vision." The first Plenary of the Hong Kong-Sichuan Cooperation Conference was held in Chengdu on May 11, when the Sichuan government and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region signed a cooperation mechanism arrangement and a memorandum of the event.

Hong Kong delegates look at the achievements of the Chengdu research center at City University of Hong Kong. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

It signified the two regions' transition from cooperation for earthquake aid and nongovernmental exchanges to comprehensive and regular cooperation between the local governments.

It is the first intergovernmental cooperation mechanism established by Hong Kong and a province from the Chinese mainland after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. It is also an important opportunity for Sichuan to further open up and shows the two sides will have a long-term and comprehensive partnership mechanism, related officials said.

According to the established mechanism, the two sides will hold meetings based on each's needs. In the memorandum, consensus has been reached in 11 fields, including the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, cultural and creative industry, innovation and science and technology, finance, education, traditional Chinese medicine and tourism.

On the heels of the conference, a Sichuan-Hong Kong investment and trade cooperation communication conference was held and agreements for 29 cooperation projects were signed. The projects covered fields such as poverty alleviation, tourism, modern finance, intelligent manufacturing, scientific and technological services, modern logistics, food and beverage, and equipment manufacturing. The projects will be developed in 11 cities and autonomous prefectures in Sichuan including Chengdu and Zigong.

Of them, 16 are investment-type official contract projects worth more than 12.65 billion yuan ($1.82 billion).

Representatives from Hong Kong watch students' martial art performance during their visit to a local school in Sichuan. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]