Page 192 - 2025 Special Report

use technology and industry resources to bring Yuen Long District and North District, with a total
down construction costs; the Building Technology land area of about 300km . It will serve as an
2
Research Institute to spearhead innovation of innovative complement to the existing Harbour
the construction sector by promoting research, Metropolis and be developed as an international
development and application of building technology, innovation and technology hub which is anticipated
also to align standards with the Chinese mainland; to offer 650,000 jobs, including 150,000 innovation
implement the Major Transport Infrastructure and technology industry-related jobs.
Development Blueprint for Hong Kong.
In October 2023, the Hong Kong government
• Deepen healthcare system reform: unveiled further action agenda, a plan that outlines
Review positioning and objectives of the healthcare the four major zones in the Northern Metropolis,
system and reform functions and division of labor namely the high-end professional services
among the Hospital Authority, the Department and logistics hub, the I&T zone, the boundary
of Health and the Primary Healthcare (PHC) commerce and industry zone and the blue and
Commission; promote all-round development of green recreation, tourism and conservation circle.
primary healthcare; develop quality indicators for Accelerating cooperation with Shenzhen in various
public and private healthcare systems and explore aspects and improving synergy development is
legislating for private healthcare price transparency; top agenda. In next 5 to 10 years, the Northern
support the plan for establishing a third medical Metropolis Area will be expected to become a
school by local universities and earmark sites in new international innovation and logistic hub and
the Northern Metropolis for the purpose; publish provide high-end professional services.
the Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint next
year, facilitating internationalization of Chinese A closer look: The Twin Cities, Three Circles
medicine; strengthen medical-educational-social strategy 100
collaboration, including developing a stepped care
model to promote mental health. Hong Kong and Shenzhen have built close
interaction since reform and opening-up. The
• Build a caring and inclusive society: “twin cities” refers to Hong Kong and Shenzhen,
Pilot scheme on supporting elderly and carers to whereas the “three circles” includes the Shenzhen
all 18 districts; expand coverage of the Residential Bay Quality Development Circle, the Hong Kong
Care Services Scheme in Guangdong; increase day- Shenzhen Close Interaction Circle and the Mirs Bay
care service places at aided standalone child care and Yan Chau Tong Eco recreation and tourism
centers and service places under the Neighborhood Circle. The concept of Twin Cities, Three Circles
Support Child Care Project for supporting working covers the Shenzhen Hong Kong Boundary Control
parents; reform the Employees Retraining Board; Points Economic Belt and the most maturely
review the protection of wages on insolvency developed metropolitan core in Shenzhen, as well
fund, implement the annual review mechanism of as the Northern Metropolis in Hong Kong where
statutory minimum wage and relax the continuous the development potential is enormous with
contract requirement. resources for urban development being speedily
pooled in. Among them, the Shenzhen Bay Quality
A closer look: The Northern Metropolis Development Circle is located in the northwest of
Strategy 99 Hong Kong and is connected to Qianhai to promote
the development of high-end enterprises; the
In October 2021, Hong Kong announced Hong Kong-Shenzhen Close Interaction Circle is
the “Development Strategy for the Northern located closely around Hong Kong’s Gudong North
Metropolitan Area”, aiming to build it into a livable, and the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and
business and tourism friendly area with innovation Technology Park, which can be connected to the
and technology as the economic engine. The Area Liantang Internet Industry Cluster, to enhance the
covers two district administration areas including innovation cooperation; the Mirs Bay and Yan Chau
99 The Northern Metropolis Action Plan, http://qh.sz. 100 The Chief Executive’s 2021 Policy Address, https://
gov.cn/sygnan/qhzx/dtzx/content/post_10925715.html www.policyaddress.gov.hk/2021/eng/press.html

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