The Hongkong-Shanghai Economic Development Association (The Association), the Pan Sutong Shanghai-Hong Kong Economic Policy Research Institute of Lingnan University (The Institute) and The Office of Legislative Council Member Dr. Chow Man-kong jointly organized a press conference and seminar on “A Preliminary Study on Transport Infrastructure, Housing and Healthcare, Community Facilities and Pro-local Employment Economic Development in the Northern Metropolis in the Context of Arising Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation” on 18 May 2022. The event was hosted by Mr. Andrew Yao Cho-fai, BBS, JP, Chairman of The Association. Dr. Bankee Kwan Pak-hoo, Executive Vice President of The Association, Dr. Terence Chan Ho-wah, Vice President of The Association, Professor Ho Lok-sang, Director of The Institute, and Dr. Chow Man-kong, Associate Director of The Institute, presented the study. Legislative Council Members Professor Lau Chi-pang, Ms. Chan Yuet-ming and Mr. Duncan Chiu, participated in the seminar session.
Group photo of the keynote speakers
Chairman Andrew Yao expressed the view that the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy proposed by the HKSAR government is a direct response to the National 14th Five-Year Plan, which proposed that Hong Kong should develop into an International Innovation and Technology Hub. With the two metropolises, one located in the north and another in the south of Hong Kong, serving respectively as a techno-centric innovation center and an international center, Hong Kong will embark on a new path of balanced and high-quality development.
Mr. Andrew YAO Cho-fai BBS, JP, Chairman of the Hongkong-Shanghai Economic Development Association and Chairman of the Council of Lingnan University
Executive Vice President Bankee Kwan pointed out that the present study suggests how Hong Kong can adopt a proactive “working-together” strategy to bring huge benefits to both Shenzhen and Hong Kong. He analyzed the questionnaire data and pointed out that the elderly respondents’ top concern is improving public healthcare services, while the top concerns of younger respondents who are typically better educated are revitalizing the economy and better urban planning. Respondents also expressed the view that while tackling the hot issue of land and housing the government should seriously solve the transportation problems faced by residents living in the northern New Territories. They also hope the government will succeed in containing the epidemic and bring normalcy to people’s lives, in particular allowing resumption of normal travel between the Mainland and Hong Kong and reviving the economy.
Dr. Bankee KWAN, Executive Vice President of the Hongkong-Shanghai Economic Development Association
Vice President Terence Chan further reflected the views of the residents of New Territories North on the current community development and the planning of the Northern Metropolis, and concluded that the views reflected by the residents are in fact related to the planning of the whole Hong Kong new development area. The residents recognized the importance of the Development Strategy to Hong Kong. They believe that the HKSAR Government should learn from the past and do a better job in the proposed metropolis developments. Better planning and policies leveraging on new capital raised in the markets should help build a better Hong Kong before too long.
Dr Terence Chan, Vice-President of the Hongkong-Shanghai Economic Development Association
Professor Ho Lok-sang explained the general principles behind the proposed policy recommendations to promote Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation in the Northern Metropolis. The principles include better communication and coordination, better measurement of performance, and more effective resource utilization. These require an establishment of a liaison taskforce to support the Leading Group for Development of GBA, and the use of key performance indicators (KPI) to improve the quality of policy implementation and boost public’s confidence.
Professor HO Lok-sang, Director of the Pan Sutong Shanghai-Hong Kong Economic Policy Research Institute
With I&T as the mainstay and other services as supporting industries, Dr. Chow Man-kong identified several projects that will help create local employment opportunities, with a view to creating a total of 1.5 million jobs to meet the employment needs of 2.5 million residents in the Northern Metropolis. These include (i) collaborating with leading hospitals in the Mainland to build a major hospital that combines research and clinical practice using state-of-the-art technology to help address the demand for medium and high-end medical services in the region and around Guangdong; (ii) collaborating with first-class universities in the Mainland and Hong Kong to establish high-end research-oriented tertiary institutions and to develop vocational education to meet the needs of both places for further technical/professional training; (iii) developing the “Northern Metropolis Aging Community District”, which will incorporate innovative elements to change the negative stereotypes of elderly services and attract new generations to join the elderly care industry. The report also puts forward a number of policy recommendations for achieving a win-win solution for Hong Kong-Shenzhen cooperation, including (i) actively aligning with the Qianhai Plan for strengthening cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong in the areas of finance, I&T and professional services; (ii) leveraging on Shenzhen's comprehensive supply chain and strong production capabilities to promote the development of local I&T industry and to realize economic transformation goals; (iii) actively supporting young entrepreneurs and launching a programme similar to “Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub” in the Northern Metropolis.。
Dr. CHOW Man-kong, Associate Director of Pan Sutong Shanghai-Hong Kong Economic Policy Research Institute
The report will be sent to the relevant policy bureaux and chambers of commerce for their consideration in their work on the development of the Northern Metropolis.
Professor Lau Chi-pang, Ms. Chan Yuet-ming and Mr. Duncan Chiu expressed their viewpoints on land development, border economy and I&T industry respectively.
Legislative Councillors (from left to right): Professor Lau Chi-pang, Ms. Chan Yuet-ming and Mr. Duncan Chiu
Video Clip of the event
Press reports (Chinese version only)
TVB News
Shenzhen Satellite TV News
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Download the full-text version of “A Preliminary Study of Transport Infrastructure, Housing and Healthcare, Community Facilities and Pro-local Employment Economic Development in the Northern Metropolis in the Context of Arising Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation”