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.
Hong Kong bid to lure more overnight visitors and develop high-quality tourism
“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.
01:52
China’s Xi Jinping praises Hong Kong leader’s work on national security, district councils
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.
President Xi Jinping praises Hong Kong leader over national security, district poll
“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 chief executive’s duty visit – Lee’s second since taking office in July last year – was on Monday when he briefed Xi, Premier Li Qiang and senior officials overseeing Hong Kong affairs as an annual practice in Beijing.
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 state 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.
