Develop HK border to boost region
Greater Bay Area holds potential to inject new energy
Hong Kong-based members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee which began its annual national session on Saturday are looking at ways to better develop and utilize neighboring lands in the Guangdong-Hong KongMacao Greater Bay Area.
Ken Chu, member of the 13th CPPCC National Committee, wants to see new development along the Shenzhen River near the Lok Ma Chau immigration control station between Hong Kong and Shenzhen of Guangdong Province.
“Hong Kong has a strong service industry, while Shenzhen plays a positive role in high-tech, and the area could better showcase the two cities’ strengths,” Chu said.
Chu who is also chairman of Mission Hills Group, which operates the world’s largest golf club in Shenzhen, leisure and sports centers in Hong Kong, said the Greater Bay Area has a lot of potential for development.
“If you cross the river into the Shenzhen boundary, there are innovative high-tech districts,” Chu told the Global Times in an exclusive interview.
“We can work together collectively, not just Hong Kong, but together with the Shenzhen government, to strengthen the entire area to create a new platform,” he said.
Hong Kong and Shenzhen designated the 870,000 square meter Lok Ma Chau river bend area as an innovative science and technology park in 2017.
Chu is looking for additional policies from the central government including easing border crossings, free flow of cash and people, and policies on taxation of Hong Kong and Macao citizens working on the mainland.
Another Hong Kong entrepreneur Kenneth Fok, who is also a member of the CPPCC National Committee, wants to see Hong Kong youth work in the innovation park.
Fok expects that the next five years will create many new opportunities for young people in Hong Kong.
Fok has also suggested the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area be developed into an international sports center.
He said that the area could become home to different teams of different sports that fans of all neighboring cities could enjoy.
“The matches can be played in different cities, so that the Greater Bay area can be better connected,” he said.
Wang Guoqing, spokesperson of the first session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee, said at a press conference Friday that development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area would inject new energy into the development of Hong Kong and Macao.