The Central Government will introduce 16 measures to facilitate Hong Kong people working and living in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area cities.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam made the statement after attending the meeting of the Leading Group for the Development of the Greater Bay Area convened by Vice Premier Han Zheng in Beijing today.

She said seven of these measures will benefit Hong Kong residents, including making it easier for them to purchase property in the Greater Bay Area cities by exempting the requirements of paying individual income tax and social security.

There will be a pilot scheme for Hong Kong people to open Mainland personal bank accounts in the Greater Bay Area. The establishment of a cross-boundary wealth management scheme will also be explored.

On supporting professional services, there will be six measures covering legal, construction and finance businesses.

The remaining three measures aim to support the development of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation & Technology Co-operation Zone, facilitate customs clearance of imported animal-derived biomaterials, and relax the limitation on exporting Mainland human genetic resources to Hong Kong and Macau.

 
Mrs Lam expressed gratitude to the Central Government for introducing these measures that would help improve Hong Kong’s strengths in various areas.

She said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will follow up with the central ministries and the Guangdong Provincial Government for implementing these measures.

More details of the policy measures are available here.