Li Jiachao: Hong Kong will actively connect with the “15th Five-Year Plan” to accelerate the construction of the northern metropolitan area

The Zhitong Finance App learned that on October 22, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Li Jiachao, delivered a video message at the 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Industry and Commerce Conference. The conference brought together business leaders and business representatives to gather in Macau. Under the theme of “Integrating the Bay Area to Link the World”, the conference not only highlights the vision of the Greater Bay Area construction, but also showcased the huge opportunities the Greater Bay Area has brought to the global business community.

Li Jiachao said that the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is a strategic fulcrum of the country's new development pattern, a demonstration site for high-quality development, and a leading center for Chinese-style modernization. This year marks the beginning of the country's “15th Five-Year Plan”. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government announced the “Hong Kong First Five-Year Plan” in September to actively connect with the national development strategy. Hong Kong will continue to make full use of its unique advantages of relying on the motherland and connecting the world under “one country, two systems,” complementing the advantages of different cities in the Greater Bay Area, and building the Greater Bay Area into a world-class Bay Area and world-class urban agglomeration with global influence.

In terms of deepening collaborative development in the Greater Bay Area, Li Jiachao pointed out that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will promote mutual recognition of professional qualifications by promoting the integration of rules and mechanisms, promote the efficient flow of personnel, materials, capital and information within the region, and create a better business environment and wider development space for the business community in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. At the same time, it will actively promote the construction of major cooperation platforms such as Qianhai, Nansha, and Hetao, focusing on innovative technology, modern service industries, and high-end professional services to enhance the overall competitiveness of the region and add momentum to the high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area.

Li Jiachao stressed that the Northern Metropolitan Area is an important engine for Hong Kong's deep participation in the development of the Greater Bay Area. Hong Kong is accelerating the construction of the northern metropolitan area, developing it into an important platform for promoting innovation and technology development, gathering high-end talents, and promoting industrial collaboration, providing stronger support for cultivating new productivity and expanding regional cooperation.

In terms of regional international cooperation, Li Jiachao mentioned that this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting was held in the country, and several cities in the Greater Bay Area participated in hosting it. Over the past two days, Hong Kong successfully held the 2026 APEC Finance Ministers Meeting. Finance officials from member economies had in-depth exchanges on regional financial and economic cooperation topics. Together with the Leaders' Meeting Week to be held in Shenzhen and meetings held in other cities in the region, it fully demonstrates the importance that the country attaches to the Greater Bay Area, and also highlights the important role of the Greater Bay Area in opening up the country to the outside world.

Li Jiachao said that as one of the central cities in the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong will continue to play the role of a “super contact” and a “super value-added person”, give full play to the advantages of an international business environment and world-class professional services, cooperate with various cities in the Greater Bay Area to promote a higher level of connectivity between regional and international markets, and bring greater opportunities for enterprises, investors and talents. Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will continue to work together to push the Greater Bay Area to the next level of international competitiveness and influence.