Financial Secretary Paul Chan began a 10-day trip to France and the US on Wednesday, in a joint business trip with delegates from Macau and the Guangdong provincial government.

During their stay in the French capital of Paris, they will attend the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area and Europe (France) Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference, to promote business opportunities in the bay area, as well as Hong Kong’s role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder”.

The finance minister will also meet the local political and business communities to explore opportunities for greater collaboration between Hong Kong and France.

The group will then fly to California and visit San Francisco and Berkeley, where they will attend a Bay-to-Bay Dialogue, as well as a high-level event on the climate, next week.

Separately, Chan will attend a business luncheon organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in California’s bay area, to attract US firms to Hong Kong, especially those in the innovation and technology sectors.

Among those joining the trip are the SAR’s commerce minister Algernon Yau, transport chief Lam Sai-hung, Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Joseph Chan, and the Greater Bay Area development commissioner Maisie Chan.

Chan will return to the city on June 1.

Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong will be Acting Financial Secretary during Chan’s absence.