Hong Kong leader John Lee ends duty visit, pledges to boost Greater Bay Area ties, focus on Northern Metropolis
- On final day of trip to Beijing, Chief Executive John Lee visits country’s top economic planning body and says government will continue to focus on Northern Metropolis
- Lee also says government is committed to consolidating Hong Kong’s role as a hub for international trade, technology and culture
Hong Kong’s leader completed a duty visit to Beijing on Wednesday pledging to foster cooperation with mainland Chinese neighbours through the Northern Metropolis mega project and to consolidate the city’s role as a hub for international finance, technology and culture.
During a closed-door meeting with Zheng Shanjie, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, Lee on Wednesday said the government would continue to focus on the Northern Metropolis, a scheme to develop a 30,000-hectare (74,000-acre) area near the mainland border into housing and economic hubs, according to a government release.
“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 integrated economic and business hub.
The Northern Metropolis was a key focus during the chief executive’s duty visit, and was described as “a new momentum of growth” in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s meeting with Lee on Monday.
Lee on Wednesday also said 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.