EditorialClimate forum to lift unique profile of Hong Kong
- Landmark event involving the Greater Bay Area and San Francisco, its US counterpart, highlights role of Hong Kong in business and international cooperation
Blessed with “one country, two systems” and well-established overseas links, Hong Kong has been a bridge for international cooperation until recent years when its role was overshadowed by the pandemic and changing political landscape. In a symbolic return to its unique position, the city will host a landmark climate change forum beginning next year to promote exchange and collaboration between China’s Greater Bay Area and San Francisco, its American counterpart.
The annual initiative may, hopefully, contribute to environmental protection amid geopolitical tensions and help reinforce the city’s international profile.
Announced during a visit by California Governor Gavin Newsom, the China-California Bay-to-Bay climate change forum, to be held by the University of Hong Kong, will ease related policy and research exchange. It will be the first time in many years for the city to host a high-stakes international event, and its announcement follows a series of visits by US officials over the year, which is a positive sign of the thaw in Sino-US political relations.
The forum will provide an opportunity to showcase Hong Kong’s environmental achievements and to counter any misunderstandings on local development.
It also comes at a time when plans for the Greater Bay Area development zone are gathering pace. The 11 cities involved, including Hong Kong and Macau, have a total population of more than 86 million and last year boasted a gross domestic product of some 13 trillion yuan ($US1.78 trillion).