Shenzhen has announced its 15th Five-Year Plan, setting out comprehensive measures to enhance collaboration with Hong Kong and Macau. The plan aims to speed up the SARs' integration into national development, signaling a new era of cross-border cooperation.
Under the strategy to boost cross-border services in finance, commodity trading, shipping, as well as informative services, Shenzhen projects that both the number of Hong Kong-funded enterprises and Hong Kong residents employed in Qianhai will reach 15,000 by 2030.
Efforts to improve physical connectivity include upgrading or reopening checkpoints such as the new Huanggang Port, Luohu Port, Sha Tau Kok Control Point, and Meisha Port. Shenzhen will also launch preliminary work on the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link, with feasibility studies exploring an extension to Hong Kong International Airport.
The plan spotlights the development of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, designed to align with Hong Kong's Northern Metropolis strategy and foster joint innovation.
Shenzhen will streamline regulatory procedures, particularly in the medical and financial sectors, to ensure that Hong Kong and Macau residents living and working in the city receive the same benefits as mainland citizens.
