Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau of Hong Kong: Continuously Promoting Coordinated Development of the Greater Bay Area and Showcasing Hong Kong's Advantages as an International City

On October 26, regarding the policy measures related to the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in Hong Kong's "Hong Kong First Five-Year Plan" and the 2026 "Policy Address," Hu Jianmin, Deputy Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs of Hong Kong, introduced that in order to promote the coordinated development of the Greater Bay Area, the "Policy Address" proposed a number of measures, including strengthening cooperation in scientific and technological innovation, making good use of major cooperation platforms such as Qianhai and Nansha to advance connectivity and openness, and accelerating the building of a world-class bay area. Hu Jianmin said that the "Five-Year Plan" includes a dedicated chapter on the Greater Bay Area, proposing five key directions for promoting the coordinated development of the Greater Bay Area. To implement these five key directions, the 2026 "Policy Address" proposed a number of specific measures to translate the plan into action, including: First, strengthening cooperation in scientific and technological innovation, building the Greater Bay Area's innovation and technology ecosystem and industrial chain, and making every effort to accelerate the construction of the Northern Metropolis, with the Hong Kong park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone as the focus, strengthening strategic alignment with other cities in the Greater Bay Area. Second, in terms of "hard connectivity," fully accelerating the Hong Kong-Shenzhen cross-boundary railway project, and strengthening the construction of new infrastructure in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and promoting 6G network construction. Third, as for "soft connectivity," this includes promoting mutual recognition of professional qualifications in the Greater Bay Area; expanding the promotion of "Greater Bay Area Standards" and "Greater Bay Area Certification"; and facilitating the flow of people, goods, capital and data. Fourth, in terms of "heart connectivity," continuously strengthening the connection of cross-boundary elderly care services, cross-boundary medical collaboration, cooperation among higher education institutions, and the integrated development of culture, sports and tourism, so as to build a humanistic bay area that is livable, workable and travel-friendly. Fifth, making good use of major cooperation platforms such as Qianhai and Nansha to promote institutional innovation, industrial collaboration and high-level openness. In addition, the Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to promote the opportunities of the Greater Bay Area and Hong Kong's unique advantages on the mainland and on the international stage. In addition to continuing publicity through cross-media platforms, social media, seminars, study missions and large-scale exhibitions, as well as officials' overseas visits and the network of overseas economic and trade offices, next year it will also actively use international forums and major exhibitions held in Hong Kong as platforms to promote Greater Bay Area opportunities. Among them, the ASIA FINANCIAL Forum, already confirmed to be held in January next year, and the first dedicated Greater Bay Area session to be held at the Hong Kong International Innovation and Technology Exhibition in April, will invite enterprises and financial leaders from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao as well as from around the world as speakers, and invite representatives from Guangdong Province and Macao to attend, giving full play to Hong Kong's advantages as an international city and joining with other Greater Bay Area cities to tell the story of the bay area well. Hu Jianmin pointed out that the development of the Greater Bay Area is crucial to Hong Kong's future. With the development of the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong's future development blueprint and market scale will no longer be limited to the tiny area within the SAR, but can be based on the three overlapping spaces of "the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the nation as a whole, and the international market," resonating in unison.