This year marks the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's reunification with the motherland, and it is a new stage for Hong Kong to transit from chaos to order and advance from stability to prosperity. How Hong Kong can further integrate into the overall development of the country, especially into the development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), is crucial to "creating a new situation and achieving a new leap". In this regard, the Pan Sutong Shanghai-Hong Kong Economic Policy Research Institute (The Institute) of Lingnan University, together with The Institute of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Development Studies at Sun Yat-sen University and the Centre for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Studies at the University of Macao, co-organised the "The 2nd International Academic Conference on Global Bay Area Development: " on 4th-5th November, 2022. The conference is to share and explore the experience, status quo and implications of global bay areas for the future development of the Greater Bay Area.
Group photo of the keynote speakers
In his speech, Mr. Andrew Yao Cho-fai, BBS, JP, Hong Kong delegate to the National People's Congress, Chairman of the Council of Lingnan University and President of Shanghai-Hong Kong Economic Development Association, said that with the development of globalisation and urbanisation, the competition in the world will be between city clusters in the future, and he has great confidence that the "9+2" city cluster of the Greater Bay Area will stand out among them. Professor Ho Lok-sang, Director of the Institute, in his keynote speech, pointed out that the planning and framework agreement of the Greater Bay Area is quite innovative. He also suggested that future institutional innovation should take full account of public opinion and consider the various costs of upcoming reforms.
Mr. Andrew Yao Cho-fai, BBS, JP, President of Shanghai-Hong Kong Economic Development Association
The Hong Kong session focused on three academic areas: regional governance and institutional development, regional integration and the role of Hong Kong, and cross-regional exchanges and Bay Area integration from the perspective of Hong Kong's development. Professor Huang Ping, Vice President of the Chinese Association of Hon Kong & Macao Studies, Executive Vice President of the Chinese Institute of Hong Kong, and Director of the Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau Research Centre at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, emphasised that the 20th National Congress Report has repeatedly mentioned the future development of Hong Kong, indicating high expectation on Hong Kong. In the face of a complex and ever-changing external environment where opportunities and challenges coexist, we should follow a development strategy of seeking progress in a stable manner and high-quality growth. In order to achieve this, we should promote the construction of a dual circulation of domestic and international markets, and Hong Kong is the crossroads of the dual circulations.
Professor Huang Ping, Vice President of the Chinese Association of Hon Kong & Macao Studies
Professor Lee Chi-kin, Chair Professor of Curriculum and Instruction and Co-Director (Research) of Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching in The Education University of Hong Kong, introduced the challenges and opportunities of talent cultivation in the Greater Bay Area from an educational perspective. Prof. Lee suggested that the Hong Kong government should have a comprehensive plan for higher education, including increasing the number of STEAM-related degrees, encouraging the exchange inter- disciplinary synergy, and subsidies for the cultivation of applied talents, and promoting the cooperation between development of self-financing institutions in Hong Kong and UGC universities, as well as their collaboration with Mainland universities in Greater Bay Area.
Professor Lee Chi-kin, Chair Professor of Curriculum and Instruction and Co-Director (Research) of Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching in The Education University of Hong Kong
Mr. Chris Leung, Executive Director and Chief China Economist of DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, briefly shared his strategy on the internationalization of Renminbi. Ms. Fan Yuen-yee, Director of Research at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, pointed out that the technology development index of the Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou city clusters in the Greater Bay Area is among the highest in the world and has unlimited potential for the future. In addition, the regional integration, especially into the Asia-Pacific region, will be an essential step of the future development strategy of the Greater Bay Area. Dr. Lim Tai-wei, Associate Professor at Faculty of Business of the Soka University, shared similar views, emphasizing that Hong Kong's position as a strong intermediary in the Asia-Pacific region in the areas of trade and finance, and it should be further strengthened in the future.
Mr. Chris Leung, Executive Director and Chief China Economist of DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, Ms. Fan Yuen-yee, Director of Research at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Dr. Lim Tai-wei, Associate Professor at Faculty of Business of the Soka University
The convergence of the legal system in the Greater Bay Area is also an important aspect of regional integration. Professor Song Sio-chong, Executive Member of the Chinese Association of Hon Kong & Macao Studies, said that the Greater Bay Area is significantly different from other international bay areas in terms of its unique nature in legal system. Extra caution should be placed in convergence of legal mechanisms of different jurisdictions and the three places, otherwise it will be easily exploited by foreign opposition forces.
Professor Song Sio-chong, Executive Member of the Chinese Association of Hon Kong & Macao Studies
Mr. Gordon Kee, Research Associate of Research Centre for Urban and Regional Development and Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, suggested that the governments of the three places should create more opportunities and facilities for residents to communicate in the various areas including culture and sports, to establish an integrated national identity of the Greater Bay Area and China, and to strengthen national awareness and the transmission of the essence of Chinese culture.
Mr. Gordon Kee, Research Associate of Research Centre for Urban and Regional Development and Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Dr. He Lisha, Assistant Professor of Department of Economics at Lingnan University, and Dr. Hung Wing-lok, Research Development and Project Manager of The Institute also shared their research findings on foreign direct investment and the new fund framework in the Greater Bay Area respectively.
Dr. He Lisha, Assistant Professor of Department of Economics at Lingnan University, and Dr. Hung Wing-lok, Research Development and Project Manager of The Institute
Dr. Chow Man-kong, Deputy Director of The Institute and Legislative Council Member, moderated the Q&A session, which focused on the interconnection and interoperability issues in the Greater Bay Area, including transportation for Hong Kong and Macau residents in the Mainland, and institutional convergence at the rule of law and arbitration levels. In his concluding speech, Mr. Zhang Jun, First Level Inspector of the Research Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR, pointed out that the conference is of great benefit to the development of the Greater Bay Area, and encouraged all sectors of the Hong Kong community to learn from the spirit of the 20th National Congress.
Dr. Chow Man-kong, Deputy Director of The Institute and Legislative Council Member
As the second International Academic Conference on Global Bay Area Development, the conference integrated various methods including on-site meetings, online links, video recordings and live streaming. The hosts also set up different sub-session in a number of academic areas such as economic, society, communication, politics, law etc. Over 100 Domestic and foreign experts and scholars from different types of institutions and industries participate in the conference, to share insights in the future development of Greater Area.
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