Following is a question by Dr the Hon Starry Lee and a reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (May 7):
 
Question:
 
     There are views pointing out that the Northern Metropolis and the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (Hetao Zone) are the key engines of Hong Kong's innovation and technology development, and that the Government should expedite the development and promote the stationing of enterprises in the area. In addition, the Government should enhance public participation in its fundraising through bond issuance for promoting the related infrastructure projects, so that the public can share the dividends of development. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it will consider setting up a "Northern Metropolis Online Office" first to provide consolidated planning and land information as well as the latest progress through an online platform, with a view to inviting enterprises interested in stationing there to register in Hong Kong in advance, and to study the provision of support or policy incentives for the registered enterprises, such as the provision of virtual showrooms, online negotiation and pre-registration services, so that enterprises can make early preparations for seamless integration with the physical facilities upon their completion;
 
(2) in order to attract enterprises as a priority to establish a presence in the Northern Metropolis and Hetao Zone, whether it will introduce targeted support measures, such as the provision of transitional office space and special recruitment programmes for talents; and
 
(3) whether it will conduct a study on allowing members of the public to have priority in subscribing to the relevant government bonds for the Northern Metropolis projects with their Mandatory Provident Fund contributions, so that members of the public can share the dividends of the development?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Northern Metropolis (NM) is crucial to the social and economic development of Hong Kong, providing impetus for the growth of innovation and technology as well as other industries, enabling more in-depth participation in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, while creating quality job opportunities and living environment for our people. Since 2019, works related to multiple New Development Areas (NDAs) in the NM have been rolled out progressively and are advancing at full steam. It is anticipated that the NM will produce considerable "spade-ready sites" and floor spaces for various industries in the coming years. Additionally, the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (Hetao Hong Kong Park) is set to commence operation this year.
 
     In consultation with relevant departments, our reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon Starry Lee is as follows:
 
(1) The NM project is a cross-bureaux undertaking. The Steering Committee on the Northern Metropolis led by the Chief Executive oversees the NM development. The Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office (NMCO) under the Development Bureau (DEVB) has assumed an overall championing and co-ordinating role in the development of the NM, including joining hands with other bureaux, the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) and Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) in promoting the NM and facilitating the development of various industries therein. 
 
     In particular, OASES is tasked with attracting high-potential and representative strategic enterprises from around the globe, and has announced four batches of 84 strategic enterprises that have set up or expanded their businesses in Hong Kong, many of which have also expressed interest in establishing their presence in the NM. InvestHK, on the other hand, is committed to assisting Mainland and overseas enterprises to set up and expand in Hong Kong by providing one-stop support services. Last year, InvestHK assisted over 500 enterprises to set up or expand in Hong Kong, including those which have expressed interest in the land for industries in the NM. The NMCO focuses on presenting the latest progress of various planning and engineering projects in the NM to various sectors home and abroad, and also organises large-scale investment promotion activities to encourage local, Mainland and overseas enterprises to support and participate in the development of the NM. Moreover, the three offices mentioned above, namely OASES, InvestHK and the NMCO, will further collaborate to follow up on the needs of those enterprises interested in setting up businesses in the NM, such as forming a dedicated team consisting of representatives from all three parties.
 
     On information dissemination, OASES and the DEVB have set up online media such as dedicated webpages and social media platforms to introduce the support services of OASES and promote Hong Kong's advantages, as well as to disseminate the latest information on various development projects in the NM respectively. InvestHK has also promoted the latest developments in the NM and publicised the NM's investment opportunities through its global network. In addition, the Civil Engineering and Development Department has established Community Liaison Centres in some of the NDAs to introduce the latest information on these areas. The DEVB is also preparing for the launch of a booklet on attracting enterprises and investments in the NM, which will holistically provide information on the overall planning, priority industries, and engineering works/tenders of the NM.
 
(2) Considering the diverse backgrounds of enterprises interested in coming to Hong Kong, the Government's efforts on attracting businesses and investment focus on understanding and suitably catering to the different needs of individual enterprises. During the process of assisting Mainland and overseas enterprises to establishing their presence in Hong Kong, OASES and InvestHK will help them identify premises for operation, among which the NM is one of the recommended highlights. They will also help those enterprises, at the initial preparatory stage and in need to establish their presence, to move into other locations in Hong Kong so that fundamental work such as research and development can be commenced to lay the groundwork for their future presence in the NM.
 
     As for the Hetao Hong Kong Park, the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Limited (HSITPL) is pressing ahead with the work on attracting tenants. The first batch of tenants is expected to move in starting from the second half of this year, and so far the HSITPL has entered into a more intensive phase of negotiations with around 30 enterprises.
 
(3) All proceeds raised from the Government green bonds and infrastructure bonds are credited to the Capital Works Reserve Fund, with a view to supporting various infrastructure works including those in the NM. The Financial Secretary proposed in the Budgets in recent years that the Government planned to earmark a certain proportion of the future issuances of these two bonds for priority investment by Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) funds. To this end, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority have established a mechanism, which was first applied to the institutional green bonds issued under the Government Green Bond Programme in June 2023. A similar mechanism will continue to apply to the institutional bonds issued under the Government Sustainable Bond Programme (formerly known as the Government Green Bond Programme (Note)) and the Infrastructure Bond Programme, aiming to allow MPF scheme members to participate in promoting infrastructure development, including those in the NM, through MPF funds, while obtaining relatively stable investment returns at a low risk and sharing the development outcomes.
 
Note: The Government Green Bond Programme was renamed the Government Sustainable Bond Programme starting from May 10, 2024.

Ends/Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Issued at HKT 19:21

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