​​Following is a question by Dr the Hon Thomas So and a reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (June 17):
       
Question:
 
     There are views pointing out that the development of the Northern Metropolis (NM) involves various industrial park companies, and that several policy bureaux will also be involved in its construction. The smooth operation of the collaboration mechanism will directly affect the pace and effectiveness of the NM's development. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether the Government will establish a mechanism for the division of labour and collaboration amongst the relevant industrial park companies so as to avoid unreasonable competition between them;
 
(2) as the three working groups under the Committee on Development of the Northern Metropolis focus on different areas and are led by different Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries, how will the relevant policy bureaux currently exchange views and co-ordinate with these working groups, for example, whether cross-departmental collaboration and regular meeting mechanisms have been established; if so, of the specific arrangements regarding the frequency of such meetings, the rank of participating officials and decision-making authority; and
 
(3) in light of the need to enhance communication and collaboration between Hong Kong and the Mainland on matters relating to the NM, the Task Force for Collaboration on the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy, led by the Deputy Financial Secretary and the Vice Mayor of Shenzhen Municipal People's Government, has convened eight meetings, of the current status of the collaboration between Guangdong and Hong Kong regarding the development of NM, as well as the latest outcomes of consultations?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Northern Metropolis (NM) is Hong Kong's major new strategic development space for the future. In addition to increasing housing supply, the NM will also provide substantial land for industry development. The planning and development of land are co-ordinated by the Development Bureau (DEVB), while policy bureaux responsible for innovation and technology (I&T), education, healthcare and other sectors promote industry development. As the NM development enters the stage of bringing in industries, the Chief Executive decided to raise the level of decision-making for the NM development. At the end of September last year, the Committee on Development of the Northern Metropolis (CDNM), chaired by the Chief Executive, was established to provide high-level leadership and co-ordination among the policy bureaux involved in NM development. Three workings groups, each led by a Secretary or Deputy Secretary, were set up under the CDNM. The Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office under the DEVB continues to drive the NM forward following the strategies and objectives determined at the Government's highest level, co-ordinating and aligning the work of different bureaux and departments throughout the process, while also serving as the key channel for external liaison.
      
     In respect of the question raised by Dr the Hon So, having consulted relevant policy bureaux, reply to each part of the question is as follows:
 
(1) The establishment of industry park companies to develop and operate the NM industry sites enables better integration of market forces and the application of public-private partnership approach, thereby accelerating the industry development in the NM. Each industry park has its own positioning, focusing on complementary strengths and combining efforts to build diverse and vibrant industry clusters. The division of work and collaboration among the park companies were thoroughly discussed in the Working Group on Devising Development and Operation Models (WGDDOM) chaired by the Financial Secretary. In the Budget this year, it was announced that $10 billion would be injected into each of the three companies responsible for the industry land in Hung Shui Kiu, the Hetao Hong Kong Park and the San Tin Technopole, demonstrating the Government's commitment and leadership in mobilising market resources to expedite the development of the relevant industry sites.
 
     Regarding the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park, the Government's objective is to leverage the well-developed transport network of the area and its locational advantage of being adjacent to Qianhai in Shenzhen, so as to promote high value-added and smart production industries, such as pharmaceuticals, food processing and advanced construction, etc. The range of industries to be introduced can be highly diverse.
      
     The Hetao Hong Kong Park is positioned as a world-class hub for technological innovation, focusing on upstream and midstream levels such as research and development (R&D), outcome transformation and pilot production. As the natural extension of the Hetao Hong Kong Park, the San Tin Technopole will provide space for prototyping, pilot production and mass production to support commercialisation of R&D outcomes. Together, the two areas will form an upstream-midstream-downstream synergy, building a complete I&T ecosystem.
 
(2) The CDNM, chaired by the Chief Executive, comprises relevant Secretaries, Permanent Secretaries and Head of the Chief Executive's Policy Unit, etc, thereby ensuring high-level oversight and policy co-ordination. To date, the CDNM has convened three meetings, providing strategic guidance on several major NM policies such as dedicated NM legislation and the development plan for the University Town, and overseeing the work of its three working groups.
 
     The Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town, chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration, comprises relevant Secretaries and Head of the Chief Executive's Policy Unit, etc. To date, the Working Group has convened two meetings to discuss the overall development strategy for the NM University Town. For research purposes, the Working Group has conducted visits to several cities in the Chinese Mainland and overseas earlier.
      
     The WGDDOM, chaired by the Financial Secretary, comprises the Deputy Financial Secretary, relevant Secretaries, Permanent Secretaries and Head of the Chief Executive's Policy Unit, etc. To date, the Working Group has convened three meetings to examine a number of NM-related projects, including the proposals to establish the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company Limited and the San Tin Technopole Company Limited, the tendering model for the Hung Shui Kiu pilot area under the large-scale land disposal approach, and the further development model for the Hetao Hong Kong Park.
      
     Lastly, the Working Group on Planning and Development, chaired by the Deputy Financial Secretary, comprises relevant Secretaries, Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Departments and Head of the Chief Executive's Policy Unit, etc. To date, the Working Group has convened two meetings. In addition to providing steer for the drafting of dedicated NM legislation, the Working Group has established and oversees four dedicated project supervision offices which are responsible for expediting the approvals of NM private projects, public housing projects, railways and major road projects, as well as public works projects respectively.
 
(3) The Task Force for Collaboration on the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy (Task Force) was established in February 2023 under the Guangdong-Hong Kong and Hong Kong-Shenzhen co-operation mechanism. The Task Force is jointly led by the Vice Mayor of Shenzhen Municipal People's Government and the Deputy Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, with active participation of relevant key officials from both sides. To date, the Task Force has convened eight meetings to enhance communication and collaboration between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland on NM-related matters, covering areas such as planning alignment, industry collaboration, cross-boundary transport infrastructure, environmental protection and I&T co-operation, etc.

Ends/Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Issued at HKT 18:22

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