Hong Kong will play an active role in advancing the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) to develop a first-class, international bay area by leveraging its strong connections with the Mainland.

Introducing the city’s First Five-Year Plan, Chief Executive John Lee today highlighted that the GBA serves as a strategic fulcrum of the country’s new development paradigm, demonstrating high-quality development while pioneering Chinese modernisation.

Hong Kong’s participation in the GBA’s development will help to elevate the region into a first-class bay area with international influence. Through the "high-end research and development advanced manufacturing-modern services" collaboration model, the city will develop an innovation and technology industry chain.

Under the Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong will continue to promote the “hard connectivity” of infrastructure by advancing cross-boundary railway projects and promoting the interconnectivity of computing infrastructure with other GBA cities, thereby expediting the formation of large intelligent computing clusters.

The city will facilitate the mutual recognition of professional qualifications in the GBA and align healthcare services and regulatory frameworks in the area. It will also enhance the mutual capital market access mechanism and facilitate the flow of personnel, materials, capital and data.

The plan also pledges to strengthen cooperation between Hong Kong’s higher education institutions and those in the GBA cities, and the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong will be expanded.

The city will also create an international collaboration network. This co-operative alliance will deepen regional collaboration with the Mainland, as well as international co-operation and exchanges.

Guided by the Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong will actively participate in the work of international organisations, promote Chinese standards and deepen participation in high-quality Belt & Road cooperation.

Visit Part 4 of Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan for more details.