A SERIES of events that show Shenzhen’s determination to further promote the development of creative industries were held in Qianhai on Thursday as Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, Hong Kong’s chief executive, paid her first visit to Shenzhen since she took office July 1.

Lam and members of her delegation attended the “20 ... 43 Business of Hong Kong Design Expo” Shenzhen leg at Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation Center, where they could appreciate 43 design cases that connect the mainland with Hong Kong, exhibit the relationship between humans and their city, design and enterprises, and display how design can break restrictions and bring value to people.

They also stopped at the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub, to get to know the hub and the six major startup projects that were created by six Hong Kong teams who are being incubated in the hub.

At Qianhai’s Mawan port area, Lam and the delegates were invited to attend the launch ceremony of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Design & Creative Industry Park project. The park was designed as a pilot cooperation area to demonstrate the joint work the two cities have done on cultural creative projects.

The park occupies an area of 14,290 square meters and will be constructed in two separate north and south areas. Creative markets, trade exhibition halls, design offices and commercial areas will serve different demands when it opens July 1, 2018.

“I think both Shenzhen and Hong Kong have great potential for cooperation in design. Shenzhen has won the title of City of Design, while Hong Kong fuses Western and Eastern cultures and talents and is a regional center of design,” said Lam.

“Both governments have signed an agreement to deepen their cooperation in creative industries. With the efforts made by the governments and professionals, Shenzhen and Hong Kong will surely become twin design cities that are second to none in Asia.”

Lam also planted a bauhinia tree with Shenzhen Party chief Wang Weizhong earlier in the morning.

In February 2016, the Hong Kong government signed an agreement with Shenzhen to set up a cultural creative industrial platform in Qianhai with the aim of promoting the development of design, film and TV, technology, finance, information and other creative industries. The park has been designated as the core of the cooperation.