South China Morning Post

Lee ends duty visit pledging to boost Greater Bay Area

Northern Metropolis plan also in focus as chief executive talks with top economic planning body

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu completed a duty visit to Beijing yesterday pledging to foster cooperatio­n with mainland neighbours through the Northern Metropolis mega project and to consolidat­e the city’s role as a hub for internatio­nal finance, technology and culture.

On the fourth and final day of his visit, Lee visited the country’s top economic planning body after earlier briefing state leaders on Hong Kong’s developmen­t.

At a closed-door meeting with Zheng Shanjie, chairman of the National Developmen­t and Reform Commission, Lee said the government would continue to focus on the Northern Metropolis, a scheme to develop 30,000 hectares near the border into housing and economic hubs, a government release said.

“The developmen­t of the Northern Metropolis will facilitate Hong Kong’s closer cooperatio­n with other Greater Bay Area cities, creating a strong growth impetus for Hong Kong and injecting new vigour into the developmen­t of the entire Greater Bay Area,” he said.

The bay area is a central government initiative to link Hong Kong, Macau and nine cities in Guangdong province into an economic and business hub.

The Northern Metropolis was a key focus during Lee’s duty visit, and was described as “a new momentum of growth” in President Xi Jinping’s meeting with Lee on Monday.

Lee said yesterday the government was committed to consolidat­ing Hong Kong’s role as an internatio­nal hub for trade, technology and culture to provide impetus for the city’s competitiv­eness and sustainabl­e economic growth.

He listed various measures including luring mainland and overseas companies to set up headquarte­rs in the city, deepening mutual access with financial markets across the border, and expanding Hong Kong’s global economic network.

The state planning agency is a ministeria­l-level department headed by the State Council and formulates strategies for national developmen­t. Last month, it said the country was confident of achieving its annual developmen­t goals by the end of the year.

In a pre-recorded speech at a forum in Beijing, Lee said Hong Kong was at “its full speed” in developing into a globally influentia­l innovation and technology centre.

“We must make good use of the respective strengths of Beijing and Hong Kong, complement our advantages and create mutually beneficial cooperatio­n space,” he told the forum on innovation developmen­t of youth in Beijing and Hong Kong.

The highlight of the duty visit – Lee’s second since taking office in July last year – came on Monday when he briefed Xi, Premier Li Qiang and senior officials overseeing Hong Kong affairs.

Xi praised Lee for safeguardi­ng national security and revamping the district council system, and expressed confidence in the city’s future. He called on the Hong Kong government to unite society and seize opportunit­ies brought about by national developmen­t.

Lee said he briefed the leaders on the recent district poll, progress of the Northern Metropolis plan, and efforts in improving governance among other items.

Monday’s meeting was the first since Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule that had the premier, who heads the State Council, sitting alongside the president. On previous annual duty visits, the city leader briefed the president and the premier separately.

Observers said the new arrangemen­t reflected Xi’s elevated role and a clearer, more direct reporting line for the city after Beijing’s top office overseeing Hong Kong affairs was revamped to report straight to the Communist Party leadership instead of the State Council.

On Tuesday, Lee visited the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

We must make good use of the respective strengths of Beijing and Hong Kong

CHIEF EXECUTIVE JOHN LEE