The Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau announced today the establishment of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office with Tommy Yuen named as Commissioner for the Development of the Greater Bay Area.

The bureau said the office aims to strengthen the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's promotion and co-ordination work on the development of the Greater Bay Area.

It noted that the bay area is a key development strategy in the country's reform and opening up and would provide a key direction for reviving Hong Kong's economy after the pandemic.

The bureau also pointed out that through further deepening co-operation amongst Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, the objectives of the development are to promote the bay area's co-ordinated economic development, leverage the complementary advantages of the three places, and develop an international first-class bay area for living, working and travelling.

The office is the focal point of liaison between the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Mainland authorities at the central, provincial and municipal levels and the Macao Special Administrative Region Government.

The office's major duties include strengthening internal co-ordination within the Hong Kong SAR Government in the participation in the development of the bay area and providing secretariat support to a steering committee chaired by the Chief Executive.

It will also promote exchange and co-operation with local stakeholders to gauge their views on the opportunities and the associated policy measures for taking forward the development of the bay area.

In addition, the bureau will strengthen liaison with the National Development & Reform Commission, the State Council's Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office, other central government ministries, the Guangdong Provincial Government, the Macau SAR Government, municipal governments of bay area cities, and their respective offices for the bay area development.

To strengthen the proactive participation of the Hong Kong SAR in the bay area development, the Chief Executive announced in her 2018 Policy Address that a high-level Steering Committee for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area would be set up.

The steering committee would be responsible for the overall co-ordination of matters relating to the Hong Kong SAR's participation in the development of the bay area.