2020-12-22 15:35:10 GMT2020-12-22 23:35:10(Beijing Time) Xinhua English HONG KONG, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Notwithstanding the challenges brought by the COVID-19 and the external environment over the past year, Hong Kong's banking system had remained robust, the Linked Exchange Rate System had been operating smoothly, and financial activities had stayed vibrant, said Eddie Yue, chief executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). Yue made the comments while having annual meetings with the mainland financial regulators on Dec. 17, 21 and 22, which were held via video conference this year owing to the COVID-19 situation. Yue led the delegation of Hong Kong Association of Banks (HKAB) to meet with Yi Gang, the governor of the People's Bank of China, Zhou Liang, vice chairman of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission and Fang Xinghai, vice chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission respectively to discuss the recent financial developments in Hong Kong and the mainland, as well as issues on financial cooperation that are of interest to various parties.