BEIJING, Sept. 13 -- Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on Wednesday virtually attended and made a keynote video speech at the Belt and Road Summit held in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the central Chinese government supports Hong Kong in maintaining its unique status and advantages, and supports it in playing a more important role in the joint construction of the Belt and Road.

The vice premier said he hopes that Hong Kong will deepen regional cooperation, fine-tune its financial services, focus on professional services, and deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges in its Belt and Road cooperation.

The annual summit, this year themed "Prospering on a Decade of Collaboration," was organized by the HKSAR government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.