Speeding up the Northern Metropolis project is crucial to Hong Kong’s future growth, and also one of the special administrative region’s most important policy goals, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Sunday.
Writing in his weekly blog, Chan said the Northern Metropolis is a platform for Hong Kong to advance in-depth cooperation within the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, and a vital vehicle for attracting investment.
He stressed that several major issues relating to the project’s development warrant deeper study and swift implementation, including fostering integrated development across the Greater Bay Area through coordinated planning.
Another critical aspect is the need to remove barriers and loosen restrictions through innovative systems and mechanisms in order to accelerate progress and unlock greater potential.
On the other hand, the SAR should leverage the unique advantages under “one country, two systems” and its role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” to deepen collaboration and exchanges with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, enabling resource sharing and mutual success, Chan said.
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The Northern Metropolis is a mega urban transformation project launched by the SAR government in 2021. Spanning 30,000 hectares across Hong Kong’s North and Yuen Long districts and bordering Shenzhen, the area aims to become a prominent international innovation and technology hub.
Other key issues requiring timely action include adopting more flexible policies to align with target industries and attract global talent, as well as enhancing management through technology and digitalization to ensure high-quality and efficient public services in the Northern Metropolis, he said.
The financial chief led a delegation to the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center and the Xiong’an New Area in Hebei province last week, coinciding with the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The delegation comprised over 40 members, including HKSAR government officials and representatives of Hong Kong’s industrial, financial, education, and innovation sectors.
Chan said he was deeply inspired by the visit, adding that the development strategies and experiences of the two emerging areas offer valuable insights for the future of the Northern Metropolis.
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Looking ahead, Hong Kong will take a more proactive approach in aligning with the national development strategy and integrating into the country’s overall growth agenda.
“Whether it’s accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis or consolidating and strengthening Hong Kong’s position as an international center for finance, trade, shipping, and innovation and technology,” Chan said, “We must stay focused on our direction and targets, maintain strategic resolve, and press ahead with determination.”
Meanwhile, Chan said in a speech on Saturday night that Hong Kong welcomed over 36 million visitors in the first nine months of 2025, up 12 percent year-on-year.
“The number of international visitors increased by 16 percent. MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) is the fastest recovering segment,” Chan said at the Toast to Success: Hong Kong Top Travel Agent Awards Celebration & Gala Dinner of 2025 Wine and Dine Festival.
He said visitors added more than HK$11 billion ($1.46 billion) to Hong Kong’s economy, with more than 200 major events scheduled in the city this year.
Contact the writer at gabylin@chinadailyhk.com
