Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced on Wednesday that Hong Kong will continue to lead the community in aligning with national strategies and integrating more proactively into the country's overall development.
In his 2025 Policy Address, Lee stressed Hong Kong’s vital role in driving progress within the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and outlined plans for closer cooperation with Guangdong and Macau to enhance the flow of people, goods, data, and capital.
A key initiative highlighted by Lee is the development of the "HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park," designed to facilitate direct transportation of goods from Dongguan and mainland China to Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), with expectations to significantly reduce operating costs.
The first phase of permanent facilities is scheduled for completion in stages by the end of this year, while preliminary studies for the second phase will commence this year, focusing on integrating more high value-added logistics and cross-border e-commerce facilities.
To further enhance regional cooperation, there will be a panel of GBA arbitrators and a platform for commercial mediation and arbitration, aiming to lower the costs for enterprises facing cross-border disputes.
Additionally, the government plans to extend cross-boundary ambulance transfer arrangements with Guangdong and Macau, including two-way ambulance transfers and expansion to cover designated hospitals in Zhuhai and Nansha.
To assist Hong Kong banks in credit assessments for mainland residents and enterprises, the government will optimize the Cross-boundary Credit Referencing and the Shenzhen-Hong Kong cross-boundary data validation platform.
The government is also looking to increase practical applications for remittance related to residents' livelihoods through enhancements to the Payment Connect system.
The disbursement arrangements for portable cash assistance is set to be refined next year, allowing elderly recipients retiring in Guangdong and Fujian provinces to receive government assistance directly through their designated bank accounts in mainland China.
As for economic collaboration, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX), a controlling shareholder of the Qianhai Mercantile Exchange, will strengthen mutual cooperation within the GBA to develop commodity trading, carbon trading, and other business opportunities.
Core Climate, the HKEX's carbon marketplace, will also collaborate with pilot carbon markets in the GBA to explore cross-border trade settlements on a trial basis.
Furthermore, the Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC) will enhance cooperation with the Guangdong government to support high-tech enterprises, such as biotech and health tech startups, in strengthening cross-border industry chain development, with Nansha identified as a key base for initial efforts.
Meanwhile, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) is exploring further cooperation with Shenzhen and Qianhai to promote digital finance development and support deeper integration of technology and finance between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Relevant measures are expected to be announced later this year.
