Jockey Club deepens cooperation with the Sports Bureau of Guangdong Province and the Administration of Sports of Guangzhou Municipality to promote the sports industry in the Greater Bay Area

01/07/2023 15:25

To implement the National Equine Industry Development Plan (2020-2025) and to strengthen the development of the sports industry as well as a culture of sports appreciation in both Guangdong and Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Jockey Club (“the Club”) met with representatives from the Sports Bureau of Guangdong Province (“GDSB”) and the Administration of Sports of Guangzhou Municipality (“GZSB”) today (1 July) at Sha Tin Racecourse. They discussed and agreed to further promote the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong and Guangzhou-Hong Kong sports industries.

Invited by the Club, a delegation, consisting of Director-General of the GDSB Cui Jian, Director-General of the GZSB Tan Aiying, Deputy Director-General of the GDSB Mai Liang, Deputy Director-General of the GZSB Li Chungang and other sports officials, attended the event together with the Club’s Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.

To support the development of the Greater Bay Area (“GBA”) and the implementation of the national development strategy for the equine industry, the GDSB and the Club reached a consensus to jointly promote sports industry development in Guangdong and Hong Kong. The GDSB and the Club will continue existing cooperation and will strengthen collaboration in multiple areas including equine sports and equine industry development, sports events, sports industry development, and integrity management. Through mutual support for hosting the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup, rolling out competitions and activities relevant to the National Fitness Programme and to young people, as well as deepening collaboration in Guangdong-Hong Kong sports policy research, Guangdong-Hong Kong integration will be facilitated. To promote equine sports and equine industry development in the GBA, the GDSB will support the Club’s Conghua Racecourse in Guangzhou to hold international-standard races, while the Club will support GDSB’s Guangdong Equestrian League, youth equestrian development blueprint, and equine industry talent development.

Director-General of the GDSB Cui Jian said that the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area clearly states that the three areas should jointly promote the development of the sports industry in the GBA to create international and regional brand events and to promote the development of equine sports and related industries. It has also outlined the prospects for the development of an equine industry in the region. The GDSB will further deepen cooperation on the basis of years of successful experience and positive results between the two parties and leverage the unique advantages of the Club to promote the high-quality development of the sports industry and signature joint projects in the GBA. This will be a clear demonstration of the great achievements of One Country, Two Systems in the new era.

In addition, the GZSB and the Club agreed to jointly promote sports industry development in Guangzhou and Hong Kong. The GZSB and the Club will work together in the areas of equine sports and equine industry development, signature competition events, integrity management, talent development, and the cultivation of an equine sports culture in order to promote exchange and to create momentum for deeper integration and development within the GBA. Specifically, the GZSB will continue to support the operation of Conghua Racecourse and the Club’s international-standard races at Conghua as they are progressively implemented from 2026. At the same time, the Club will support GZSB’s equestrian competitions, initiatives to promote equestrian sports for young people, activities relevant to the National Fitness Programme, and signature sports competitions for young people. On top of these the Club will continue to refine the equine industry talent training model, with the curriculum catering to the needs of the industry. At the same time the Club will strengthen exchanges and interactions with the GZSB and expand publicity and activities, with a view to fostering the popularisation and promotion of equine sports in Guangzhou.

The Director-General of the GZSB Tan Aiying said that Guangzhou and Hong Kong have maintained good cooperation since the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games equestrian competition, including for the creation of Conghua Racecourse and other projects. Looking ahead there is great potential for sports exchange and collaboration between Guangzhou and Hong Kong. The GZSB will firmly grasp the opportunity of the GBA and make every effort to implement the Framework Cooperation Agreement signed with the Club to promote and develop the equine industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. By fully utilising Guangzhou's unique advantages to develop the equine industry and further promoting the Guangzhou-Hong Kong Racing Economic Cluster new impetus will be brought to the sustainable economic development of Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

The Club’s Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said, “The cooperation between Hong Kong and the Mainland to develop the sports industry is a vivid demonstration of the advantages of One Country, Two Systems. These two agreements are another important step forward, especially for the equine industry. This long-term partnership will take sports exchange between Guangdong-Hong Kong and Guangzhou-Hong Kong to new heights. Staying true to its purpose of acting continuously for the betterment of our society, and drawing on its experience and expertise, the Club will actively promote the coordinated development of sports and related industries in support of the development of the Greater Bay Area.”

“Conghua Racecourse in Guangzhou, which has been operating for nearly five years, is an important contribution to Guangdong-Hong Kong cooperation and to the development of the Greater Bay Area. It is the largest, highest quality, and most comprehensive equine sports complex in the Mainland. Conghua Racecourse is a most fruitful result of the sporting cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong. It is an excellent example of high-level development in the Greater Bay Area, which will keep injecting ‘horse-power’ into the Greater Bay Area’s equine industry and even the entire country,” added Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges.

Over the years, the Club has strongly supported sports cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong. This includes the establishment of community sports parks, promoting sports projects in the GBA, upgrading the equestrian venues of the Huangcun Sports Training Centre, supporting youth equestrian sports and development, sponsoring the South China Historical Trail Orientation Championship, promoting traditional martial arts culture, providing funding support to the Guangdong Sports Industry Development Forum, and cooperating on the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup horse race and the Walk with Medallists youth programme.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class racing club that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2021/22, the Club returned a total of HK$33.6 billion to the community. This included HK$27.0 billion to the Government in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions and HK$6.6 billion in approved charity donations. The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is also one of the world's top ten charity donors. The Club is always “riding high together for a better future” with the people of Hong Kong.

• 
  Director-General of the Sports Bureau of Guangdong Province Cui Jian (3rd left); Director-General of the Administration of Sports of Guangzhou Municipality Tan Aiying (3rd right); Deputy Director-General of the Sports Bureau of Guangdong Province Mai Liang (2nd left); Deputy Director-General of the Administration of Sports of Guangzhou Municipality Li Chungang (2nd right); The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (4th left); Executive Director, Racing, Andrew Harding (1st left) and the Executive Director, Corporate Affairs, Raymond Tam (1st right) met to discuss and agree on ways to deepen cooperation and to further promote the development of the sports industry in Guangdong and Hong Kong.