How can Hong Kong become digital economy ‘superconnector’, ‘super value-adder’?

Beijing’s top man in Hong Kong, Zheng Yanxiong, says city should expedite Northern Metropolis and boost cooperation with mainland

Reading Time:3 minutes

Published: 3:05pm, 14 Apr 2025Updated: 10:50am, 17 Apr 2025

Hong Kong should speed up the development of the Northern Metropolis and strengthen cooperation with mainland China to become a “superconnector” and “super value-adder” for the digital economy, Beijing’s top official in the city has said.

Zheng Yanxiong, director of the central government’s liaison office in Hong Kong, outlined the vision at the opening of the two-day World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit on Monday.

The event, which is set to attract 1,000 local and overseas participants, is the first international summit to be held by the World Internet Conference outside the mainland.

Hong Kong authorities said the city’s hosting of the summit confirmed its pivotal role as an important bridge and two-way platform connecting the country with the rest of the world.

Zheng told attendees the city should make the most of the “one country, two systems” governing principle to facilitate international collaboration.

“[Hong Kong should] accelerate the development of the Northern Metropolis and leverage the Hong Kong Science Park and Cyberport – together with the important platforms of Shenzhen, Qianhai, Hetao and Nansha – to attract enterprises in the digital economy,” he said.