Development Timeline

The governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao co-organise a seminar in Paris to promote the business advantages brought about by the development of the Greater Bay Area, and encourage French enterprises to seize the opportunities of the Greater Bay Area.

The first plenary meeting of the Leading Group for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is held in Beijing to discuss and plan for priority areas of work for the Greater Bay Area development.

With the implementation of the Regulations for Application of Residence Permit for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Residents, eligible Hong Kong residents living in the Mainland may apply for residence permits to enjoy various facilitation arrangement which cover areas relating to daily living, including employment, education, healthcare, travel and financial services.

The HKSAR Government and the Ministry of Science and Technology sign an arrangement and an agreement to foster co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland in various areas of innovation and technology. 16 Partner State Key Laboratories in Hong Kong are also officially renamed as State Key Laboratories.

The Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link opens, and the co-location arrangement is implemented at the West Kowloon Station, enhancing the high speed passenger transport network in the Greater Bay Area.

The 55-km Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the world’s longest bridge-and-tunnel sea crossing, opens. It only takes around 40 minutes to travel a distance of approximately 42km from Hong Kong Port to Zhuhai Port and Macao Port.

The Agreement on Trade in Goods under the framework of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement comes into effect, providing for the full implementation of zero tariffs on goods of Hong Kong origin imported into the Mainland and introducing measures to expedite customs clearance of goods to facilitate trade and logistics development in the Greater Bay Area.

The Central Government promulgates the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, an outline document guiding the development of the Greater Bay Area. The objectives are to, through further deepening co-operation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, promote co-ordinated economic development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, leverage the complementary advantages of the three places, and develop an international first-class bay area ideal for living, working and travelling.

The Symposium on the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is held in Hong Kong. Around 800 guests, representing relevant central ministries and various sectors of Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macao, attend the symposium to discuss the development opportunities of the Greater Bay Area.

The second plenary meeting of the Leading Group for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is held in Beijing. After the meeting, the Central Government promulgates eight policy measures, facilitating Hong Kong residents to develop, work and reside in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area, and enabling more efficient and convenient flow of people and goods within the Greater Bay Area.

The Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Taxation issue a public notice, specifying the method for calculating “183 days” for paying individual income tax in the Mainland, i.e. any stay of less than 24 hours in the Mainland will not count as a day of presence. This further facilitates Hong Kong people who frequently commute between Hong Kong and the Mainland for work in calculating the individual income tax payable.

The Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Taxation jointly issue a notice, stating that the nine Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area could provide tax relief to non-Mainland (including Hong Kong) high-end talents and talents in short supply working in the cities by offsetting the individual income tax differential between Hong Kong and the Mainland, as a way to lessen the actual tax burden on such talents.

A Hong Kong bank announces the launch of a pilot scheme to enable Hong Kong permanent residents to open Mainland personal bank accounts in the Greater Bay Area remotely by attestation. The number of pilot banks is increasing continuously.

The HKSAR Government launches the Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Funding Scheme for Experiential Programmes at Innovation and Entrepreneurial Bases in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to encourage and support innovation and entrepreneurship by Hong Kong young people in different cities of the Greater Bay Area.

The Hong Kong/Shenzhen Co-operation Meeting is held in Shenzhen. The governments of Hong Kong and Shenzhen agree to deepen co-operation through participating in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and steadfastly take forward initiatives as set out in the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area that are pertaining to Hong Kong-Shenzhen co-operation.

The Department of Justice of the HKSAR and the Supreme People’s Court sign an arrangement, under which Hong Kong becomes the first jurisdiction outside the Mainland where, as a seat of arbitration, the parties concerned are able to apply to the Mainland courts for interim measures. This arrangement strengthens legal co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland and further enhances Hong Kong’s status as a centre for international arbitration in the Asia-Pacific region.

The governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao jointly organise a symposium on the Greater Bay Area in Tokyo to encourage various sectors in Japan to seize the opportunities of the Greater Bay Area. The symposium is attended by over 1 000 representatives from local enterprises and sectors.

The HKSAR Government and the Guangzhou Municipal Government sign a framework agreement to collaborate in rolling out an agricultural project (the “Cailanzi” plan), which aims to enhance the quality of agricultural products in the Greater Bay Area and give additional guarantees for the food safety and quality of vegetables and fruits supplied to the Greater Bay Area.

The 21st Plenary of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference is held in Guangzhou. Under the principles of complementarity and mutual benefits, both sides strive for policy innovation and breakthrough to take forward the development of the Greater Bay Area, particularly in the key co-operation areas of further promoting innovation and technology, professional services, and youth development etc. After the plenary, both sides jointly hold a plaque presentation ceremony to 10 youth innovation and entrepreneurial bases in the Greater Bay Area.

The Department of Justice of Guangdong Province implements further liberalisation measures for setting up partnership associations with Mainland law firms in the Guangdong Province, including the removal of the minimum capital injection ratio of 30% by Hong Kong partner firms in the partnership associations, and that legal practitioners from Hong Kong, Macao and the Mainland can be employed in the name of the partnership associations.

The judicial authorities of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao hold the first Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area Legal Departments Joint Conference in Hong Kong to strengthen exchanges and collaborations, and promote legal development in the Greater Bay Area, thereby providing more comprehensive and inclusive legal and dispute resolution services to businesses.

The governments of Hong Kong and Macao hold the 11th Hong Kong Macao Co-operation High Level Meeting in Macao to explore how the two sides can collaborate in taking forward the development of the Greater Bay Area and achieve a win-win outcome for the diversified development of industries as well as economic and social development of both places.

As a tripartite collaboration, each of China Post, Hongkong Post and Macao Post and Telecommunications issues its own special stamps on the Greater Bay Area. The special stamp issued by Hongkong Post depicts the connectivity and complementarity of the 11 Greater Bay Area municipalities and underscores Hong Kong’s strategic role in the development of the Greater Bay Area.

The third plenary meeting of the Leading Group for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is held in Beijing. After the meeting, the Central Government promulgates 16 policy measures, benefitting people from all walks of life. There are measures facilitating the development of Hong Kong’s professional sectors in the Greater Bay Area, and supporting the development of an international innovation and technology hub in the Greater Bay Area.

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of the HKSAR Government and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Guangdong Province sign the Framework Agreement on the Co-operation in Agricultural Matters to strengthen the exchange and co-operation in agriculture between Guangdong and Hong Kong and to promote high-quality agricultural development in the Greater Bay Area.

The National Immigration Administration announces the establishment of a service platform for the use of entry and exit permits for identity authentication, which further facilitates the use of the Hong Kong and Macao Residents Entry and Exit Permits in areas of transport, finance, communications, education, healthcare, social security, industry and commerce, taxation, accommodation, etc.

The China Meteorological Administration promulgates the Meteorological Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (2020-2035) to further strengthen meteorological co-operation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, involving areas such as meteorological data sharing, meteorological scientific research and innovation, and training of meteorological personnel.

The Agreement Concerning Amendment to the Agreement on Trade in Services under the framework of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement comes into effect, whereby new liberalisation measures are introduced in services sectors such as legal services, construction and related engineering services, and financial services, including those implemented on a pilot basis in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area, so as to further lower the market access thresholds in the Mainland for Hong Kong services suppliers.

The Human Resources and Social Security Department of Guangdong Province issued the notice on the trial administrative measures on open recruitment of Hong Kong and Macao residents by public institutions in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area, with a view to facilitating talent exchange in the Greater Bay Area while at the same time providing Hong Kong young people with more development opportunities in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area.

The Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government holds a briefing on new measures that facilitate the architectural and engineering sectors in starting businesses and practising in the Greater Bay Area. Eligible enterprises and professionals from the architectural, engineering, surveying and landscape sectors in Hong Kong may directly provide services in the Greater Bay Area by obtaining equivalent qualifications in the Mainland through a registration system. These measures help local architectural and engineering sectors to grasp the opportunities of the Greater Bay Area and expand their businesses.

The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress passes a decision, which allows eligible Hong Kong legal practitioners to practise in specific areas of Mainland law in the nine Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area upon passing a special examination and obtaining the practice qualifications.

The Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point comes into operation, which is the seventh land-based control point at the Hong Kong-Shenzhen boundary. The cargo clearance facilities open for use by cross-boundary goods vehicles first. The commissioning of the new boundary control point substantially shortens the travelling time between Hong Kong and eastern Shenzhen as well as eastern Guangdong, thereby facilitating the smooth operation of cross-boundary logistics.

The Shenzhen Municipality passes the law that allows Hong Kong-invested enterprises registered in Qianhai to agree on the adoption of Hong Kong law as the applicable law in their civil and commercial contracts (i.e. “wholly-owned Hong Kong enterprises to adopt Hong Kong law”) with effect from October 2020.

The HKSAR Government establishes the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office (Office), which is the main unit responsible for maintaining close liaison with the Mainland authorities and the Macao Special Administrative Region Government on the development of the Greater Bay Area. The Office is also responsible for strengthening internal co-ordination within the HKSAR Government in promoting the development of the Greater Bay Area, liaising with local and overseas stakeholders, and disseminating information about the development of the Greater Bay Area to different sectors of the community through strategic publicity and promotion efforts.

The Central Government promulgates the Work Plan for Regulatory Innovation and Development of Pharmaceutical and Medical Device in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, which allows designated healthcare institutions operating in the nine Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area to use Hong Kong-registered drugs with urgent clinical use, and medical devices used in Hong Kong public hospitals with urgent clinical use, subject to the approval of Guangdong Province.

The Shenzhen Bay Control Point commences “round-the-clock” cargo clearance service to further support the logistics flow between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, progressively implementing the “East in East out, West in West out” strategy for cross-boundary goods traffic.

Under the Single E-lock Scheme, the number of clearance points in Hong Kong has increased to 13, while the number of clearance points in the Guangdong Province has increased to over 60, covering all nine Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area and providing the trade with over 800 cross-boundary route options.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Office of the Leading Group for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Guangdong Provincial Government jointly promulgate the Culture and Tourism Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, which sets out the directions for the overall cultural and tourism development of the Greater Bay Area and guides the development of the Greater Bay Area into an exchange hub for culture of the East and the West and a world-class tourism destination. It also helps strengthen the positions of Hong Kong as an international cultural metropolis and an international tourism hub.

The HKSAR Government launches the Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme to encourage and support university graduates in Hong Kong to work and pursue their careers in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area. The HKSAR Government grants a monthly allowance of HK$10,000 to the enterprises for each graduate employed for up to 18 months.

The Legislative Council of the HKSAR approves funding to commence Batch 1 development of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HSITP). Upon its full development, the HSITP will provide a gross floor area of 1.2 million square metres and become Hong Kong’s largest-ever innovation and technology platform. The Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Co-operation Zone, which comprises the HSITP and the Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Zone, will realise the concept of “one zone, two parks” at “one river, two banks” under the auspices of “One Country, Two Systems”, thereby supporting the development of an international innovation and technology hub in the Greater Bay Area.

The National People’s Congress approves the National 14th Five-Year Plan, which supports the high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area, the deepening and widening of mutual access between the financial markets of Hong Kong and the Mainland, as well as the strengthening of exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland on different fronts. In addition, the Plan supports Hong Kong in consolidating and enhancing its status in four traditional sectors (i.e. international financial, trade and transportation centres as well as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region), while at the same time recognising and supporting Hong Kong’s development in four emerging areas (i.e. an international innovation and technology centre, an international aviation hub, an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, and an intellectual property trading centre).

The Legislative Council of the HKSAR passes a motion on the implementation of co-location arrangement at the new Huanggang Port, which would substantially enhance clearance efficiency and capacity of the new Huanggang Port.

The thematic meeting of the Leading Group for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is held in Guangzhou, at which discussions focus on major issues such as the development of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Co-operation Zone and co-operation in Qianhai.

The 22nd Plenary of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference is held through video conferencing. With the common objective of taking forward the development of the Greater Bay Area, the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong discuss further exchanges and co-operation in the areas of innovation and technology, finance, legal and dispute resolution services, support for Hong Kong enterprises to tap into the Mainland domestic market, medicine and healthcare, youth development, education etc. A number of co-operation agreements are signed after the plenary, which cover the deepening of investment promotion co-operation in the Greater Bay Area, and the fostering of co-operation between Guangdong and Hong Kong in equine industry development.

With the support of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council launches the GoGBA one-stop digital platform to provide information about the markets and policies of the Greater Bay Area as well as various kinds of services, rendering comprehensive support to Hong Kong businesses.

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council Greater Bay Area Centre is formally established in Shenzhen to provide on-site support and assist small and medium enterprises in expanding their businesses in the Greater Bay Area.

The inaugural Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Legal Professional Examination is held. Eligible Hong Kong legal practitioners may, provide legal services on specified civil and commercial matters to which the Mainland laws apply upon passing the Examination and obtaining qualifications to practise in the nine Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area.

The State Council agrees that the 15th National Games will be co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in 2025. This initiative is very meaningful and in line with the goal of building a bay area for leisure and shaping a healthy bay area as presented in the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The HKSAR Government will work closely with the relevant ministries of the Central Government, the Guangdong Province and the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, and conduct the preparatory work according to the Central Government’s requirement of organising a “simple, safe and wonderful” event.

The Working Group on the Greater Bay Area Mediation Platform is formally established by the legal departments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. At its inaugural meeting, the qualification and accreditation standards for mediators in the Greater Bay Area, best practices for mediators’ code of conduct, and guidelines for mediation rules applicable to cross-boundary disputes are discussed.

The Guangdong Provincial Government announces the Streamlined Approval Procedures for Sale of Hong Kong Registered Traditional Proprietary Chinese Medicines for External Use in the Greater Bay Area, which further facilitate Hong Kong proprietary Chinese medicines manufacturers in tapping into the Greater Bay Area market. In December of the same year, the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration announces the first batch of products approved for sale in the Mainland under the streamlined approval procedures.

The School of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen commences, with an intake of 30 students in the first year.

The Central Government promulgates the Plan for Comprehensive Deepening Reform and Opening Up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone (Qianhai Plan), under which the area of the Qianhai Cooperation Zone will expand by seven times to 120.56 square kilometres. The Qianhai Plan stresses the promotion of high-level opening up in Qianhai, the fostering of innovative development of modern service industries, and the acceleration of the building of a system of modern services that is compatible with Hong Kong and international standards.

The Central Government also promulgates the Plan for the Development of the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin (Hengqin Plan) on 5 September, which creates favourable conditions for the diversified development of Macao and provides many facilitating measures for the development of its industries.

The High-level Meeting cum Hong Kong/Shenzhen Co-operation Meeting 2021 is held in Shenzhen. The two sides agree to promote high-level co-operation in different areas and make joint contribution to the development of the Greater Bay Area under the spirit of complementarity and mutual benefits.

The governments of Hong Kong and Shenzhen sign a co-operation arrangement on the establishment of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Co-operation Zone, under which the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation will kick-start the establishment of the Shenzhen branch of Hong Kong Science Park in the Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Zone, thus allowing institutes and enterprises that are interested in starting their business in the Greater Bay Area to first establish presence in the Co-operation Zone. Meanwhile, in order to jointly attract talents and enterprises to develop in the Co-operation Zone, the governments of Hong Kong and Shenzhen put forward a joint policy package covering support measures on facilitating flow of talents as well as scientific research resources and business development, etc.

The Guangdong Provincial Government promulgates further liberalisation measures, which include expanding the coverage of the registration measures in the Greater Bay Area to enable town planning-related enterprises and professionals in Hong Kong to directly provide services in the Guangdong Province (including the nine Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area) after registration.

Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect in the Greater Bay Area is officially launched, which enables residents in the Greater Bay Area to carry out cross-boundary investment in wealth management products distributed by eligible banks in the area. Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect is an important measure that deepens and widens mutual access between the financial markets of the Mainland and Hong Kong. It underlines the unique advantages of Hong Kong’s financial system under “One Country, Two Systems”, and facilitates the financial development and further opening-up of the country. Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect services are provided by the banks concerned from 19 October onwards.

Southbound Trading under Bond Connect is officially launched, which provides a convenient, efficient and secure channel for Mainland institutional investors to invest in offshore bonds through the Hong Kong bond market. This further deepens mutual access between the Mainland and Hong Kong bond markets.

The Shenzhen Municipal Government announces the issuance of offshore Renminbi (RMB) local government bonds not exceeding RMB5 billion in Hong Kong, which is the first time a Mainland municipal government issues bonds outside the Mainland. This enriches further the range of RMB financial products available in the Hong Kong market, and promotes the internationalisation of RMB.

Invest Hong Kong of the HKSAR Government and its counterparts in Guangdong and Macao establish the Pan-Greater Bay Area Inward Investment Liaison Group to develop joint inward investment propositions, with a view to showcasing the huge development potential of the Greater Bay Area to attract foreign direct investment and promote the overall development of the region.

The HKSAR Government releases the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy. Under the framework of “One Country, Two Systems”, the Development Strategy is the first strategic action agenda devised by the HKSAR Government with a spatial concept and strategic mindset going beyond the administrative boundary of Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The Northern Metropolis will be the most important area in Hong Kong that facilitates its development integration with Shenzhen and connection with the Greater Bay Area.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) jointly announce that the two authorities have signed a memorandum of understanding to link up the PBoC’s Fintech Innovation Regulatory Facility with the HKMA’s Fintech Supervisory Sandbox in the form of a “network”, thereby providing a “one-stop platform” to allow eligible financial institutions and technology firms to conduct pilot trials of cross-boundary fintech initiatives, concurrently in Hong Kong and the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area. This enhances the quality and efficiency of financial services in the Greater Bay Area, and strengthens financial support for the development of the Greater Bay Area.

The Pan-Greater Bay Area Inward Investment Liaison Group organises a conference in Shanghai, promoting the business advantages and opportunities in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and encouraging enterprises to seize the co-operation and development opportunities arising from the Qianhai Plan and the Hengqin Plan.

The GBA Mediator Accreditation Standards and the GBA Mediator Code of Conduct Best Practice, endorsed by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area Legal Departments Joint Conference, are officially released and become effective. This fosters the professional development of mediators in the Greater Bay Area and enhances the confidence of mediation users within the Greater Bay Area.

To mark the third anniversary of the promulgation of the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and to feature close co-operation and strong ties among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, Hongkong Post issues commemorative stamp products on the theme of “Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development”, showing the iconic landmarks and latest developments of different cities in the Greater Bay Area.

The governments of Hong Kong and Shenzhen sign a framework agreement on co-operation in Mirs Bay pilotage, under which a consensus has been reached in various areas of co-operation including the scope of pilotage services for vessels, deployment of pilots and charging arrangements. This is conducive to enhancing the safety and efficiency of navigation, thereby further promoting the integrated development of pilotage services within the Greater Bay Area.

The 2022 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Legal Professional Examination is successfully held in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Zhuhai. Through the Examination, more Hong Kong legal practitioners familiar with the laws of both places will be available to provide professional services for the development of the Greater Bay Area.

The Central Government promulgates the Overall Plan for Deepening Globally Oriented Comprehensive Co-operation amongst Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in Nansha of Guangzhou (Nansha Plan). Based on new policies to be introduced by the governments of Guangdong Province and Guangzhou Municipality in Nansha, the HKSAR Government will support various sectors of the community in seizing the opportunities brought about by the development of the Greater Bay Area and the Nansha Plan.

The “Art >< Creativity” exhibition series in the Greater Bay Area co-organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the HKSAR Government and the Hong Kong Designers Association are held in five cities of the Greater Bay Area, namely Huizhou, Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing. The works of 10 Hong Kong artists and designers or design groups are showcased to further foster cultural exchanges among the cities of the Greater Bay Area.

President Xi Jinping attends the meeting celebrating Hong Kong’s return to the motherland and the inaugural ceremony of the sixth-term HKSAR Government, and delivers an important speech. President Xi states that Hong Kong’s close connection with the world market and strong support from the motherland are its distinctive advantages, and such favorable conditions are cherished by the people of Hong Kong and by the Central Government as well. The Central Government fully supports Hong Kong in its effort to maintain its distinctive status and edges, to improve its presence as an international financial, shipping and trading center, to keep its business environment free, open and regulated, and to maintain the common law, so as to expand and facilitate its exchanges with the world, and proposes that Hong Kong should continue to create strong impetus for growth. The Central Government fully supports Hong Kong in its effort to seize historic opportunities offered by China’s development and actively dovetail itself with the 14th Five-Year Plan and other national strategies such as the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and high-quality Belt and Road co-operation.

The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks sets up the GBA InnoAcademy and the GBA InnoExpress to nurture start-ups and support innovation and technology enterprises to attract foreign investments and go global.

The Traditional Chinese Medicine Bureau of Guangdong Province, the Health Bureau of the HKSAR Government, the Health Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government and the Zhongshan Municipal People’s Government jointly hold the 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Conference on Inheritance, Innovation and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine to promote in-depth integration and development of Chinese medicine in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The Chief Executive holds a video conference on deepening Guangdong-Hong Kong co-operation with the leaders of Guangdong Province, Shenzhen Municipality and Guangzhou Municipality to exchange views on issues of mutual interest, including deepening Hong Kong’s co-operation with Guangdong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and further promoting the development of the Greater Bay Area. All sides reach consensus on various subjects. In terms of enhancing the Guangdong-Hong Kong co-operation mechanism, both sides agree to set up 13 working groups to cover major areas of co-operation mechanism, including the Northern Metropolis; the Nansha Plan; innovation and technology; finance; commerce and trade; youth employment, entrepreneurship and internship; legal and dispute resolution services; and maritime, aviation and logistics. Hong Kong and Shenzhen will also set up 19 working groups to cover collaboration in various key areas including innovation and technology, finance, commerce and trade, youth employment and entrepreneurship, and Qianhai.

The Chief Executive delivers a video speech at the opening ceremony of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou). The university is the first higher education institution co-operated by the Mainland and Hong Kong and with the approval from the Ministry of Education since the promulgation of the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in 2019.

The Chief Executive attends the opening ceremony of Minxin Hong Kong School in Nansha, Guangzhou, in the form of video conferencing. The school adopts Hong Kong curriculum from primary to secondary education in a 12-year through-train mode.

The HKSAR Government and Shenzhen Municipal Government jointly promulgate the 18 Measures for Supporting the Linked Development of Shenzhen and Hong Kong Venture Capital Investments in Qianhai. The 18 measures provide facilitation and preferential policies for the Hong Kong private equity industry and promote the development of a mechanism that links Shenzhen and Hong Kong venture capital investments.

The Chief Executive announces, in his 2022 Policy Address, the establishment of the Steering Group on Integration into National Development, which takes forward and provides steer for the work on integration into national development holistically from a macro perspective, and formulates strategic plans for Hong Kong to actively dovetail with key national strategies such as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development. The Chief Executive also announces that the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong will set up a dedicated promotion centre to support the development of Hong Kong people and enterprises in the Greater Bay Area.

The Shenzhen Municipal Government announces the issuance of offshore Renminbi (RMB) local government bonds not exceeding RMB5 billion in Hong Kong, which will be listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. The Shenzhen Municipal Government is issuing bonds in Hong Kong again after its successful experience in 2021, fully demonstrating that Hong Kong is the premier platform for issuance of RMB debt products.

The governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao sign the Memorandum of Understanding on the Exchange and Collaboration on Archaeological and Cultural Heritage Amongst the Greater Bay Area to further strengthen the collaborations on archaeological and cultural heritage in the Greater Bay Area, including research, preservation, education, promotion, community participation, and cultural products development, etc.

The Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) and the Zhuhai Municipal Government sign the Zhuhai Municipal Government and AAHK Co-operation Memorandum of Understanding, which aims to deepen the co-operation between Hong Kong International Airport and Zhuhai Airport. Hong Kong and Zhuhai will strive to achieve direct air-land-air passenger service through the land transport linkage of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, develop international air cargo business of Hong Kong and Zhuhai, take forward the development of a high-end aviation industrial cluster, proactively discuss the acquisition of the equity of Zhuhai Airport by the AAHK, etc.

The Chief Executive chairs the first meeting of the Steering Group on Integration into National Development, which focuses on the discussion of the key and priority policies and initiatives for Hong Kong to dovetail with the national strategies. The Chief Executive says that the Steering Group and its Subgroups will formulate and implement various policy initiatives by adhering to the principle of being proactive and pragmatic, and achieving mutual benefits with the Mainland, with a view to promoting Hong Kong’s active integration into the national development, grasping the opportunities brought about by the country’s development, and creating strong impetus for the growth of the HKSAR.

The Chief Executive chairs the first meeting of the Steering Committee on the Northern Metropolis. The Chief Executive says at the meeting that the Northern Metropolis is strategically important to Hong Kong’s future as it could bring about quality living, economic vitality and better integration with Shenzhen and other cities in the Greater Bay Area.

The HKSAR Government releases the Youth Development Blueprint, outlining the overall vision and guiding principles for the Government’s long-term youth development work in the future. The work directions include enabling young people to capitalise on the opportunities brought about by the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Belt and Road Initiative, and integrate into the overall development of the country, etc.

The HKSAR Government promulgates the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint to establish a clear development path and formulate systematic strategic planning for Hong Kong’s innovation and technology development over the next five to ten years, charting Hong Kong in moving full steam towards the vision of an international innovation and technology centre. The eight major strategies include deepening innovation and technology co-operation with the Mainland for better integration into the overall national development.

The Greater Bay Area Cross-Boundary Disputes Mediation Model Rules officially come into effect for reference and voluntary adoption of the mediation institutions and mediators within the Greater Bay Area. The various mediation standards will further promote the wider use of mediation within the Greater Bay Area.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Task Force of the Department of Justice of HKSAR holds its first meeting to discuss the directions for the work on further enhancing the convenience and benefit for the people in the Greater Bay Area and facilitating the development of the Greater Bay Area. The work directions include enhancing the convergence of legal practices, advancing the practice of mutual legal assistance, and promoting the development of online dispute resolution and the application of lawtech.

Normal travel between Hong Kong and the Mainland fully resumes. All boundary control points commence operation without any prescribed daily number of people or nucleic acid test requirement. Cross-boundary travel by people of the two places has fully resumed as normal.

Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) of the HKSAR Government and the Youth Development Commission jointly launch the new round of Funding Scheme for Youth Exchange in the Mainland, sponsoring non-governmental organisations to organise youth exchange tours to the Mainland. With the resumption of normal travel between Hong Kong and the Mainland as well as overseas countries, HYAB is taking forward the resumption of various youth exchange and internship programmes.

The Mainland authorities implement the exit endorsement for talents travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area on a pilot basis, with a view to facilitating Mainland talents in the Greater Bay Area to travel southbound to Hong Kong for exchanges and visits in the fields of scientific research, education, healthcare, law and business, etc.

The Hong Kong/Shenzhen Co-operation Meeting 2023 is held in Hong Kong. The governments of Hong Kong and Shenzhen have made steady progress in various co-operation areas, including Northern Metropolis development, innovation and technology, financial services, education, tourism, commerce and investment promotion, Qianhai development, professional services, cross-boundary infrastructure, youth development, environmental protection, and healthcare. Under the spirit of complementarity, both sides will continue to further deepen collaboration, with a view to jointly making greater contributions to the development of the Greater Bay Area and of the country.

The Chief Executive leads a delegation to visit Guangzhou and Shenzhen, which is his first visit to the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area since taking office. The Chief Executive meets with the leaders of Guangdong Province and Shenzhen Municipality to exchange views on Guangdong-Hong Kong collaboration in taking forward the high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area, and explore the comprehensive deepening of Hong Kong’s high-level co-operation with Guangdong and Shenzhen.

The HKSAR Government and the Shenzhen Municipal Government jointly promulgate the 16 Co-operation Measures for the Development of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Intellectual Property and Innovation Hub, which cover co-operation in intellectual property (IP) protection, exploitation and transformation, exchange and study, promotion and education, and IP trading etc. The 16 co-operation measures not only assist Hong Kong IP developers, enterprises and talents to develop their IP-related businesses in Qianhai and explore the business opportunities in the Greater Bay Area, but also support the IP industries in Qianhai to leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages and platform to connect with the rest of the world for engaging in IP trading activities.

The People’s Bank of China, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange and the People’s Government of Guangdong Province jointly promulgate the Opinion on Providing Financial Support for the Comprehensive Deepening Reform and Opening Up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone, which sets out 30 measures to strengthen the connection and high-level co-operation between the financial markets of Hong Kong and Shenzhen, and promote the financial liberalisation and innovation of the country.

Hong Kong and Shenzhen hold the first meeting of the Task Force for Collaboration on the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy in Shenzhen. The two sides exchange views on various aspects, including cross-boundary transport, planning of control points, development of Qianhai, and works at the Lok Ma Chau Loop.

The HKSAR Government announces the launch of the regularised Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme, encouraging enterprises to employ eligible graduates and station them in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area to work and receive on-the-job training. The Labour Department holds a kick-off ceremony on 30 March, and arrangements are made for enterprises to recruit graduates on the spot.

The Chief Executive conducts a visit to Macao and meets with the Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region to have an in-depth discussion on promoting Hong Kong’s co-operation with Macao and the high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Vocational Education Park and Vocational and Professional Education Services (Shenzhen) Company Limited of the Vocational Training Council (VTC) open. This will promote further partnership between the VTC and its Mainland counterparts in the provision of joint education programmes and the development of training projects, and provide Hong Kong students with more internship opportunities in vocational and professional education and training to help them understand and prepare for the latest developments in the Greater Bay Area.

The 23rd Plenary of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference is held in Hong Kong. In line with the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and that of the first session of the 14th National People’s Congress and the first session of the 14th Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee, both sides agree to proactively take forward the high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area, and foster high-level co-operation in different areas, including innovation and technology, financial services, Northern Metropolis development, commerce and investment promotion, cross-boundary transport and logistics, talents, healthcare, education, culture, youth development and civil service exchange.

The Chief Executive chairs the second meeting of the Steering Group on Integration into National Development. The meeting focuses on discussing strategies for Hong Kong on promoting integration into national development, namely the latest developments, future key initiatives and work plans of the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development, the Belt and Road Initiative as well as different regional co-operation matters between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

At the meeting of the Task Force for Hong Kong/Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Cooperation, the governments of Hong Kong and Shenzhen sign the Arrangement on Comprehensive Promotion of Hong Kong/Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Cooperation. The Arrangement seeks to strengthen high-quality innovation and technology co-operation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, and bolster collaborative innovation of industries, academia and research as well as innovation and technology linkage, so as to support the development of an international innovation and technology hub in the Greater Bay Area by leveraging the respective strengths of the two places.

The Health Bureau of the HKSAR Government announces that, starting from 17 April, eligible Hong Kong elderly can use the Elderly Health Care Voucher to pay for the fees of outpatient healthcare services at the Huawei Li Zhi Yuan Community Health Service Center of the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital. This enables Hong Kong elderly residing in Shenzhen to better utilise local outpatient services.

The delegation of the first Mainland study tour for students of the senior secondary subject of Citizenship and Social Development sets off for a two-day trip to Guangzhou and Shenzhen to learn about the latest situation and development of the country.

The first Mainland study tour for newly-joined teachers visits Guangzhou for four days and three nights. About 100 newly-joined teachers participate in the study tour, which aims to enable teachers to learn more about the latest situation and development of the country, thereby strengthening their ability to cultivate students’ sense of national identity.

About 80 healthcare professionals from the Guangdong Province participating in the Greater Bay Area Healthcare Talents Visiting Programmes arrive in Hong Kong. They will engage in professional exchanges in Hong Kong for about a year, so as to enhance mutual understanding between healthcare professionals of Hong Kong and the Mainland.

The Chief Executive leads a delegation of the HKSAR Government and the Legislative Council to conduct a four-day visit to four cities of the Greater Bay Area, namely Shenzhen, Dongguan, Foshan and Guangzhou. The delegation meets with the leaders of Guangdong Province and relevant cities, and visits projects and facilities related to innovation and technology, smart city, youth development, arts and culture, and environmental protection etc. to learn more about the latest developments and opportunities in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area, so that Hong Kong could more actively participate in and promote the development of the Greater Bay Area. The trip not only manifests the unity between the executive and the legislature, but also fully demonstrates the great importance attached by the HKSAR to Greater Bay Area development, and has helped built a consensus with other cities of the Greater Bay Area in achieving mutual benefits.

The Guangdong Provincial Government has continuously extended the Measure of Using Hong Kong-registered Drugs and Medical Devices Used in Hong Kong Public Hospitals in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. As at April 2023, 23 drugs and 13 medical devices can now be used in 19 designated healthcare institutions in the Mainland cites of the Greater Bay Area.

The governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao sign a memorandum of understanding on jointly promoting the development of standards in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA Standards). Establishing GBA Standards can improve product and service quality, promote technological progress, and ensure safety and health. It is also an important technical support for economic activities and social development. The list of GBA Standards announced covers a total of 110 items in the fields of food quality and safety, Cantonese cuisine, transportation, mechanical and electrical products, as well as medical care, nursing care, education, e-sports, etc.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Promotion Centre of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong of the HKSAR Government is officially launched to promote opportunities brought about by the Greater Bay Area development to Hong Kong people and enterprises in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area and provide appropriate support and assistance to them when needed.

The governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong announce that the Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles scheme will be open for application from eligible Hong Kong private cars from 1 June this year. Approved Hong Kong private cars are allowed to travel between Hong Kong and Guangdong via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) starting from 1 July. The scheme provides a convenient way for Hong Kong citizens to self-drive to Guangdong via the HZMB for business, visiting families or sight-seeing on a short-term basis, marking another important milestone in facilitating further connection among cities of the Greater Bay Area and promoting the economic integration and development of the Greater Bay Area.

The HKSAR Government has launched the Pilot Scheme for Supporting Patients of the Hospital Authority in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to enable eligible Hong Kong citizens to receive subsidised consultations at the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital (HKU-SZH). Under the Pilot Scheme, eligible patients will be required to pay a consultation fee of RMB100 for each consultation received at the designated outpatient clinic of the HKU-SZH. The remaining medical fee will then be covered by the Pilot Scheme, subject to a subsidy cap of RMB2,000. The scope of services under the Scheme will cover major Specialist Outpatient Clinics and General Outpatient Clinics services provided by the Hospital Authority.

Northbound Trading of Swap Connect is officially launched, providing a convenient and secure channel for international investors to trade interest rate swap products in the Mainland via a connection between infrastructure institutions in Hong Kong and the Mainland. The scheme aims to facilitate global investors’ management of interest rate risks arising from their allocation to Mainland bonds. It will help enhance the recognition of and confidence in Renminbi bonds in the international market and strengthen Hong Kong's role as a global risk management centre and offshore Renminbi hub.

The HKSAR and Guangzhou Governments signs a Memorandum of Understanding on Greater Bay maritime co-operation to establish a communication mechanism for maritime development; enhance exchanges on youth and maritime talents in the Greater Bay Area; and actively promote the maritime industry in the Greater Bay Area.

The 2023 Greater Bay Area Legal Professional Examination is held. Examination venue is again set up in Hong Kong, thereby facilitating the Hong Kong candidates. Moreover, as at the end of April 2023, around 200 Hong Kong legal practitioners have obtained the Lawyer’s License (Guangdong-Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area) and can provide legal services in the nine Mainland municipalities in the Greater Bay Area on specified civil and commercial matters to which the Mainland laws apply.

The kick-off ceremony is held for the Scheme on Corporate Summer Internship on the Mainland and Overseas 2023 of the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau. The 24 corporates participating in the Scheme provide a total of 328 internship placements in different Mainland provinces and cities including various cities in the Greater Bay Area, as well as a number of overseas countries. The placements cover multiple industries, such as financial services, innovation and technology, logistics, property development, retail, hospitality and public utilities.

The Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government announces the establishment of the Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office to co-ordinate, champion and drive the development of the Northern Metropolis. With the theme of “International Innovation and Technology New City”, the Northern Metropolis integrates quality living, industries, and culture and leisure. It is a new engine for Hong Kong to scale new heights, and an important platform to promote high-quality economic co-operation between Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area and for Hong Kong to integrate into the overall national development.

The Chief Executive chairs the third meeting of the Steering Group on Integration into National Development to listen to report on the progress and co-ordination work of various strategies for promoting Hong Kong’s integration into national development, including policy areas covering finance, innovation and technology, infrastructure and transportation, healthcare, and legal and dispute resolution services under the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the Greater Bay Area development and the Belt and Road Initiative, and to make decisions and provide guidance. In addition, the meeting discussed conducting in-depth and extensive research work and further strengthening policy research and continuous formulation of new policy recommendations.

The HKD-RMB Dual Counter Model and the Dual Counter Market Making Programme are launched. The initiatives will facilitate the use of the Renminbi in equity trading in Hong Kong and further expand the Renminbi investable universe, thereby reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as the leading offshore Renminbi business hub.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Task Force of the Department of Justice of the HKSAR Government holds its second meeting and discusses to take forward a number of recommendations, including the establishment of an information platform on legal and dispute resolution services in the Greater Bay Area; and the setting up of a high-level platform to facilitate the conduct of exchanges and research on mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters, etc.; actively seeking the expansion to Mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area the measures for Hong Kong-invested enterprises to choose Hong Kong law as applicable law and to choose Hong Kong as the seat of arbitration; the enhancement of the existing arrangements for mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters; and the establishment of a mediator panel for the Greater Bay Area and the setting up of an online mediation platform for use in the Greater Bay Area.

The Social Welfare Department of the HKSAR Government announces the expansion of the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong (GD Scheme) to assist elderly persons of Hong Kong to retire in cities of the Greater Bay Area, including covering elderly persons on the Central Waiting List for subsidised nursing home places; and inviting applications from operators of residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) with experience of providing subsidised residential care services in Hong Kong, which are operating RCHE(s) in Greater Bay Area cities, to register their RCHEs in the Greater Bay Area as Recognised Service Provider under the GD Scheme.

The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer of the HKSAR Government announces that the first “iAM Smart” registration service counter in Guangzhou has been set up to provide Hong Kong citizens working and living in the Mainland with convenience, allowing them to register for or upgrade to “iAM Smart+” without the need to return to Hong Kong. For details and registration requirements, one can visit the “iAM Smart” thematic website at www.iamsmart.gov.hk/en/reg.html.

The HKSAR Government announces the implementation of the arrangement for Hong Kong-Macao cross-boundary goods vehicles using the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB). The cross-boundary logistics transfer facility at the HZMB Macao Port (the Macao Port transfer facility) will start operation on 8 August 2023. Hong Kong goods vehicles can transport goods from Hong Kong to the Macao Port transfer facility using the HZMB, as well as transport goods from Macao back to Hong Kong. Macao goods vehicles can transport goods to the logistics facilities at the Hong Kong International Airport via the HZMB, as well as transport goods from Hong Kong back to Macao.

A delegation of the HKSAR Government attends the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Joint Working Group on Environmental Protection meeting held in Shenzhen with a view to deepening the exchanges and co-operation for environmental protection between the two places.  Various collaborative issues between Hong Kong and Shenzhen were discussed at the meeting, including marine pollution prevention and control, wetland conservation, water quality improvement, air quality, cross-border transportation using new energy, and resources circulation, etc.

The Education Bureau of the HKSAR Government signs with the Department of Education of Guangdong Province the Framework Agreement on Strengthening Education Exchange and Co-operation between Guangdong and Hong Kong.  The agreement provides a framework to strengthen education exchanges and collaboration between Guangdong and Hong Kong.  It covers initiatives including continuously encouraging collaboration among higher education institutions in Guangdong and Hong Kong on joint provision of education services, joint talent cultivation, and technological exchanges and co-operation; enhancing co-operation on vocational education and further strengthening Qualifications Framework collaboration between the two places; promoting the pairing of sister schools in Guangdong and Hong Kong; and continuously supporting collaboration, training and exchanges among teachers in the two places, etc. 

The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau of the HKSAR Government rolls out the “Greater Bay Area Information Station” (GBAIS) digital information platform at different spots on the Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon and the New Territories.  With a simple and easy-to-use interface, the GBAIS introduces to members of the public the development of the Greater Bay Area and useful information about Greater Bay Area cities, including the development timeline, and the development directions and policy measures in various areas, etc., thereby enhancing the understanding of different sectors of the community about the high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area.

The Central Government promulgates the “Development Plan for Shenzhen Park of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone” (Development Plan for Shenzhen Park), which comprises a total of 30 measures, covering such areas as the development positioning, objectives, overall layout and infrastructure layout of the Shenzhen Park, as well as the collaboration with Hong Kong to promote international innovation and technology (I&T) development.  It aims to promote high quality I&T development in the Greater Bay Area, and enable the Co-operation Zone to become a world-class innovation platform and an engine to drive I&T development in neighbouring cities.


The HKSAR will continue to actively work with Shenzhen to promote the advantages of the Co-operation Zone under the principle of “one zone, two parks” underpinned by the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, including to strive to implement measures for promoting the cross-boundary flow of various innovation elements. This will enable the Co-operation Zone to serve as the bridgehead for intensive I&T co-operation between the two places, and allow Hong Kong to give full play to its unique advantage of “enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world”. This, in turn, can support the development of the Greater Bay Area international I&T centre.

The Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government and the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen Municipality sign a Letter of Intent on Collaboration (LOI) to further enhance the exchanges and co-operation between enterprises and professionals in architectural and engineering industries in the two places.  The LOI promotes the establishment of a project database to assist Hong Kong enterprises in obtaining the latest information on development in the Qianhai Cooperation Zone.  It also facilitates the establishment of a regular mechanism for personnel exchanges between the two places, to assist Qianhai in building a construction management system that aligns with international standards.

The Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province, Invest Hong Kong of the HKSAR Government and the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute jointly organise the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Europe Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference in Munich, Germany.  At the Conference, the HKSAR Government promotes the vast business opportunities brought about by Greater Bay Area development, as well as the unique advantages and potential of Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch holds an opening ceremony.  The Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch enables institutes and enterprises interested in starting their business in the Greater Bay Area to establish a presence there.  It comprises two buildings with a total gross floor area of about 31 000 square metres, providing offices, laboratories, co-working spaces, as well as conference and event facilities.  The completion of the Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch is a result of win-win co-operation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, and marks a new beginning of innovation and technology co-operation between the two places.

The Guangdong Museum, the Macao Museum and the Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) jointly organise the touring exhibition “A Tale of Three Cities: Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Export of Silk Products in the Ming and Qing Dynasties” from 8 September until 17 December at the HKMoA.  This exhibition brings together 108 sets of artefacts from the three museums to showcase the Greater Bay Area landscape and silk production during the Ming and Qing dynasties, allowing visitors to explore the connections among the three places and stories of cultural exchanges between East and West through the Maritime Silk Road.

The Civil Service Bureau of the HKSAR Government and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province sign in Guangzhou the Agreement on Civil Service Staff Exchange and Collaboration Programme with the Mainland Municipalities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to foster exchange between civil servants from various professional areas of the two sides.  This will in turn support the high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area.

The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, the HKSAR Government and the Macao SAR Government jointly organise the First “Business Conference on Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development” in Macao.  About 1 000 representatives from business communities of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao and all over the world attend the Conference to exchange on important topics such as innovation and technology, green finance, trade rules, cultural tourism and MICE, etc.  The Conference demonstrates the development opportunities and vibrancy of the Greater Bay Area.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Meteorological Monitoring and Warning Center (Hong Kong) (Hong Kong Center) officially commences preparation work with a view to fostering the high-quality development of meteorological services in the Greater Bay Area.  The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Meteorological Monitoring and Warning Center is a work item for the joint establishment by the three places under the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Meteorological Development Plan (2020-2035) as promulgated by the China Meteorological Administration, which aims to enhance detailed meteorological monitoring, forecasting and warning services for the Greater Bay Area through meteorological data sharing, meteorological scientific research and innovation, career development of meteorological talent, etc.  Not only is the establishment of the Hong Kong Center beneficial the enhancement of Hong Kong’s capability in disaster prevention and mitigation, but it also promotes and benefits the close collaboration and mutual development of the three places, providing strong weather service assurance to the Greater Bay Area in creating an international first-class bay area and a world-class city cluster.

The 5th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Conference on Inheritance, Innovation and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine is held in Foshan.  The Conference witnesses the signing of agreements on multiple Greater Bay Area Chinese Medicine co-operation projects including the one on the establishment of a collaboration framework for Greater Bay Area Chinese Medicine Visiting Scholars Programme among the Hospital Authority, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the First Affiliated Hospital of the Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with a view to enhancing clinical professional exchanges and pushing ahead the development of integrated Chinese-Western medicine treatment services. 

The delegations of the HKSAR and Shenzhen Governments hold in Shenzhen a meeting of the Task Force for Medical Collaboration between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. The two parties sign the Framework Agreement on Medical Collaboration between Shenzhen and Hong Kong at the meeting.  The Agreement covers areas such as healthcare services, nurturing of talents, clinical medical research, hospital quality accreditation on an international level and collaboration on Chinese medicine, paving the way for the further deepening of cross-boundary healthcare service development in the Greater Bay Area and facilitating the flow of talent, drugs and medical devices as well as healthcare services between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. 

According to the Global Innovation Index 2023 published by the World Intellectual Property Organization, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou science and technology cluster has ranked second globally for four consecutive years, which shows that the Greater Bay Area has unlimited potential for innovation and technology (I&T) development.  The HKSAR Government has committed nearly $200 billion in the past few years for enhancing technological research infrastructure, subsidising research and development activities, supporting collaboration among the industry, academic and research sectors, as well as pooling together and nurturing technology talents.  Moreover, proactive measures have been taken to attract strategic enterprises to establish their presence in Hong Kong with a view to accelerating and boosting the vibrant development of the I&T ecology of Hong Kong. 

The People’s Bank of China, the National Administration of Financial Regulation, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong and the Monetary Authority of Macao issue a joint announcement on further enhancing the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Pilot Scheme along five directions, including refining the eligibility criteria of investors to support more Greater Bay Area residents to participate in the scheme, expanding the scope of participating institutions to include eligible securities firms, expanding the scope of eligible investment products, increasing the individual investor quota as appropriate, and further enhancing promotion and sales arrangements.  They will refine the implementation arrangements and operational guidance with a view to implementing the measures as soon as practicable.

The General Office of the State Council publishes the revised pilot measures for Hong Kong and Macao legal practitioners to obtain Mainland practice qualifications and to practise as lawyers in the nine Mainland municipalities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area so as to extend the period of the pilot scheme for Hong Kong and Macao legal practitioners to practise in the nine Mainland municipalities in the Greater Bay Area until 4 October 2026.  Pursuant to the revised pilot measures, the practice experience threshold for Hong Kong and Macao legal practitioners to enrol in the Greater Bay Area Legal Professional Examination has also been lowered from five years to three years.  The revised pilot measures provide the legal sector with more room for development in the Greater Bay Area. 

The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the HKSAR Government announced the setting up of the National Games Coordination Office to fully take on the planning and implementation work of the 15th National Games, as well as the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games, to be co-hosted by the Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao authorities in 2025.

The Chief Executive announced the 2023 Policy Address. A number of measures are put forward to enable Hong Kong to fully leverage its distinctive advantages of having strong support from the motherland and close connection with the world under “One Country, Two Systems”, and to actively take forward the development of the Greater Bay Area.  These include continuing to work with the Shenzhen Municipal Government to foster the development of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone; deepening the financial co-operation in the Greater Bay Area; setting up the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute; actively collaborating with the Guangdong Provincial Government to develop the “Digital Greater Bay Area”; promoting cross-boundary data flow; enhancing the capability of co-ordinated emergency management across the Greater Bay Area; fostering cross-boundary medical collaboration; and promoting youth development, etc.

The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau of the HKSAR Government launched the GBA Fintech Two-way Internship Scheme for Post-secondary Students, enabling students to gain first-hand understanding of the operation of fintech companies and fintech ecosystems of Hong Kong and the Mainland.  The Scheme has attracted the participation of more than 30 fintech companies of different segments, including virtual banks, virtual insurers, regtech, wealthtech, credittech and payment tech, providing more than 150 internship positions (with each placement lasting for two to six months) in Hong Kong and the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area.

The HKSAR Government promulgated the Northern Metropolis Action Agenda (Action Agenda). With promotion of industry development as the primary consideration, the Action Agenda divides the Northern Metropolis into four major zones, each with distinctive development theme and industry positioning. In discussing the industry positioning of each major zone, special emphasisis has been placed on the interface and prospects for cooperation between a major zone and relevant places in Shenzhen, the positioning and potential of the two sides, as well as the transportation and boundary control points linking up Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

The HKSAR Government promulgated the Action Plan on Modern Logistics Development (Action Plan) to promote the sustainable and high-quality development of Hong Kong’s logistics industry. The National 14th Five-Year Plan clearly affirms Hong Kong’s positioning as an international aviation hub and international shipping centre, and the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area indicates clear support for the development of high-value air cargo logistics and high value-added maritime services in Hong Kong. The strategies and action measures set out in the Action Plan include the strengthening of collaboration within the Greater Bay Area, such as fostering synergistic development with other Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area by enhancing intermodal transport and making good use of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.

The Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau of the HKSAR Government and the People’s Government of Guangdong Province announced the simultaneous launch of the Cross-boundary Public Services service area/thematic website of Guangdong and Hong Kong, which enables residents and enterprises in Hong Kong and the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area to access public services of the two places online anytime without the need for cross-boundary travel in person. The two sides also signed the “Co-operation Agreement between Guangdong and the HKSAR on Cross-boundary Public Services” to deepen the co-operation in government services, with the first batch of more than 50 Cross-boundary Public Services launched in each of the two places. Through the connection between iAM Smart and the Unified Identity Authentication Platform of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong residents can log in directly to the Guangdong Provincial Administrative Service website and the “Yue Sheng Shi” mobile app through iAM Smart to enjoy a wide range of Guangdong’s public services in a more convenient and efficient manner.

The People’s Bank of China, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Monetary Authority of Macao jointly signed the “Memorandum of Understanding on Deepening Fintech Innovation Supervisory Cooperation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area”, under which the three authorities agreed to link up, in the form of a network, the People’s Bank of China’s Fintech Innovation Regulatory Facility, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s Fintech Supervisory Sandbox, and the Monetary Authority of Macao’s Regulatory Requirements for Innovative Fintech Trials. The network link-up provides a one-stop platform to facilitate the pilot trials of cross-boundary fintech initiatives, and strengthens the synergy of fintech innovation supervision across the three regions, thereby further deepening fintech innovation co-operation in the Greater Bay Area.

The Customs and Excise Department of the HKSAR and the Macao Customs Service signed the Co-operative and Mutual Assistance Arrangement and the Authorized Economic Operator Mutual Recognition Arrangement. Both sides will continue to strengthen intelligence exchange to combat cross-boundary crimes for the purpose of creating a business-friendly environment for legitimate trade activities, and further enhance customs clearance facilitation measures between Hong Kong and Macao. The signing of these arrangements signifies that both sides will strengthen mutual co-operation in different aspects and work together to safeguard the favourable development environment in the Greater Bay Area.

The Department of Justice of the HKSAR Government attended the fifth Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Legal Departments Joint Conference, which is an annual meeting to discuss promoting development of the rule of law in the Greater Bay Area and related issues with the legal departments of Guangdong and Macao. The three parties agree to develop an online dispute resolution platform together, with a view to integrating information and resources in relation to mediation and arbitration in the Greater Bay Area to facilitate the sharing of relevant resources in the Greater Bay Area for the convenience and benefit of the public, promoting the use of mediation etc. to resolve disputes, and contributing to the development of diversified dispute resolution mechanisms in the Greater Bay Area.

The Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau of the HKSAR Government and the Cyberspace Administration of China announced the facilitation measure on “Standard Contract for the Cross-boundary Flow of Personal Information Within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Mainland, Hong Kong)”, with a view to streamlining the compliance requirements for the cross-boundary flow of Mainland personal information among the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area and Hong Kong. In the first phase, the banking, credit referencing and healthcare sectors are invited to participate. The facilitation measure not only greatly reduces the compliance costs of cross-boundary personal data flow for enterprises, but also promotes the development of the Greater Bay Area’s digital economy.

The Alliance of Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurial Bases in the Greater Bay Area (Alliance) was officially launched, providing a one-stop information, publicity and exchange platform to support Hong Kong young people pursuing innovation and entrepreneurship in the Greater Bay Area. The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau of the HKSAR Government, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province and the Human Resources and Social Security Department of Guangdong Province are the leading parties of the Alliance. Nearly 60 representative organisations from various sectors in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area also joined the Alliance.

The Civil Service Staff Exchange and Collaboration Programme, jointly organised by the HKSAR Government and the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area, was launched in Shenzhen. The first batch of Hong Kong civil servants started the three-month exchange programme in Shenzhen on the same day.

The Central Government promulgated the Overall Development Plan for the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone (Qianhai Overall Development Plan), the Three-Year Action Plan for the Development of International First-class Business Environment in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Action Plan for Business Environment), as well as two important documents related to the development of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. As clearly stated in the Qianhai Overall Development Plan, the development of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone is an important initiative for supporting Hong Kong’s social and economic development, consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s competitive advantages, fostering a higher level of co-operation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and establishing a new development paradigm in pursuing opening up. The various policy initiatives outlined in the Qianhai Overall Development Plan are not just of benefit to Hong Kong but will also contribute to the development of the Greater Bay Area and our country. In particular, measures in the areas of financial services, legal services, innovation and technology, and professional services will create more favourable conditions for industries in which Hong Kong’s strengths lie to expand their businesses into the Mainland market. Besides, the measures outlined in the Qianhai Overall Development Plan that facilitate Hong Kong and Macao residents setting up businesses, working and living in Qianhai, and Hong Kong residents of foreign nationalities travelling to and from the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area, will greatly enhance the interest and scope for Hong Kong talents and enterprises to develop in Qianhai.

As regards the Action Plan for Business Environment, it focuses on developing market environment, public services, rule of law and an open environment in the Greater Bay Area,  enhancing the level of market integration and international competitiveness of the Greater Bay Area, and at the same time puts forward specific measures to facilitate residents of Hong Kong and Macao to pursue development and live in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area, etc.

The General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China and the Customs and Excise Department of the HKSAR successfully launched a trial run of the Guangdong-Hong Kong “Single Submission for Dual Declaration” Scheme (Scheme). The Scheme applies to cargo imported to Hong Kong through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port, under which export cargo information declared by Mainland enterprises through the Guangdong’s platform will be encrypted and sent to the Hong Kong’s platform, where Hong Kong importers can retrieve the relevant cargo information for submission to the Hong Kong’s platform for completion of a local Customs declaration. The Scheme not only helps save time and cost from repeated data inputting to achieve efficient Customs declarations, but also maximises the cargo processing capacity of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port.

The HKSAR Government announced that to facilitate the development of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, about five hectares of land will be released from the southern end of the Hong Kong Park in the Loop for the construction of five buildings in batch one under Phase 1 of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park. As for the first three buildings in batch one under Phase 1, the construction is underway and scheduled for completion in phases from the end of 2024.

The People’s Government of Guangdong Province and the HKSAR Government signed a framework agreement on promoting Guangdong-Hong Kong talent co-operation, under which a co-ordination mechanism on Guangdong-Hong Kong talent co-operation has been set up. The two governments then held the inaugural meeting, with the theme “building a talent hub and promoting integrated development”, under the mechanism to exchange views on promoting talent development in the Greater Bay Area. Hong Kong Talent Engage, established in October 2023, will make full use of the co-ordination mechanism on Guangdong-Hong Kong talent co-operation to deepen exchanges and co-operation with relevant authorities of the Guangdong Provincial Government for the purpose of building a high-calibre talent hub in the Greater Bay Area.

A plaque-unveiling ceremony was held for Hong Kong’s first Hong Kong teacher training and exchange base established by the Education Bureau (EDB) of the HKSAR Government at South China Normal University (SCNU) in Guangzhou.  The EDB would step up co-operation with SCNU and develop diversified and high-quality teacher training projects, enabling educators of the two places to learn from one another and thrive together.

The People’s Bank of China and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority announced six new measures on “three connection, three facilitation” which deepen the financial co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong, including the implementation arrangements of the enhanced Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Scheme; introducing facilitative payment arrangements for Hong Kong and Macao residents purchasing properties in the Greater Bay Area; expanding the scope of Shenzhen-Hong Kong co-operation on cross-boundary credit referencing pilots. These new measures meet the demands for cross-boundary financial services of the residents and businesses of the Mainland and Hong Kong; facilitating Hong Kong residents purchasing properties in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area; and providing more convenient services to businesses of the two places seeking cross-boundary financing through co-operation on cross-boundary credit referencing. The various new measures also deepen the mutual access between the financial markets of the Mainland and Hong Kong, which are conducive to giving full play to Hong Kong’s role as an international financial centre and actively contributing to building strength in finance and the high-quality development of finance of our country.

The governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao jointly promulgated the second batch of Greater Bay Area Standards, which cover prepared dishes, meteorology, ecology, etc.  Currently, over 1 400 enterprises, organisations or entities in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have declared the adoption of Greater Bay Area Standards.

The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau and relevant bureaux and departments of the HKSAR Government, together with the delegation of the Shenzhen Municipal Government, held the first meeting of the Task Force on the Development of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone in Shenzhen. At the meeting, a National Development and Reform Commission representative introduced the requirements and objectives of the Central Government for the implementation of the Overall Development Plan for the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. Both Hong Kong and Shenzhen will press ahead at full steam with promoting the demonstrative and leading roles Qianhai plays in the development of the Greater Bay Area, further deepening the collaboration between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, and supporting the opening up of the Mainland market through Qianhai by industries in which Hong Kong’s strengths lie.

The 2024 Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme has been launched and is open for application year round.  The scheme encourages enterprises to offer jobs and hire Hong Kong young people to work in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area, so as to foster the exchange of talent in the Greater Bay Area.  The deadline for eligible young people to apply for job vacancies under the 2024 scheme will be December 31.

Seven medical institutions in the Greater Bay Area have been included in the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme.  Among them, five of them provide integrated services including dental services while the other two are dental institutions.  They are expected to gradually launch the relevant arrangements starting from the third quarter of 2024.  The HKSAR Government estimated that some 1.7 million eligible Hong Kong elderly persons will benefit from the pilot scheme with additional service point options for using the Health Care Vouchers.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Three-Places-One-Lock Scheme was officially launched.  Under the scheme, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Customs would be able to conduct real-time monitoring on the batch of transshipment cargo using e-locks and GPS technology, enabling the transportation truck to arrive in Macao directly via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port and avoiding duplicate inspections by the Customs authorities.

The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and the Youth Development Commission jointly launched a new round of the Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Funding Scheme for Experiential Programmes at Innovation and Entrepreneurial Bases.  Eligible non-governmental organisations are invited to submit applications for providing subsidy and support services to Hong Kong young people who wish to start their businesses in the Greater Bay Area.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) released the Action Plan on the Construction of Rule of Law in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.  There are two key features, namely underpinning the guiding principle of “Three Interfaces, Two Connects and One GBA”, and strengthening collaboration with the legal and dispute resolution sectors and other stakeholders to effectively implement the relevant policy measures.  By means of the interfaces of mechanisms, regulatory frameworks and talent constituting the “Three Interfaces”, the DoJ will continue to proactively promote the connectivity of hardware and software in the construction of rule of law in the Greater Bay Area, and the co-operation of various cities with their respective strengths and the collaboration of different legal systems with different advantages in the Greater Bay Area, thereby eventually achieving the goal of “One GBA”.

Two additional residential care homes for the elderly, located in Foshan and Shenzhen respectively, have newly become Recognised Service Providers under the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong, providing more options for elderly persons waitlisted under the Central Waiting List for Subsidised Long Term Care Services and intending to retire in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area.

The period of stay for holders of an exit endorsement for business visit travelling to Hong Kong has been extended from seven days to 14 days, and application of the exit endorsement for talents have been expanded to Beijing and Shanghai.  These measures will greatly enhance convenience for Mainland businesspersons and traders who travel to Hong Kong for various business activities and promote their exchanges with the business community in Hong Kong.

The Shenzhen-Hong Kong Financial Co-operation Committee was established and convened its first meeting. The Committee gathers official members from the Central Authorities, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, as well as leaders of the financial industry in both places as non-official members. At the inauguration ceremony, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and the Shenzhen Municipal Financial Regulatory Bureau signed the Letter of Intent on Shenzhen-Hong Kong Financial Co-operation Committee, with the aim of bolstering mutual access between the financial markets of the two places, co-operation on financial technologies and green finance, and the exchange of financial talents.

The Department of Justice and the Supreme People’s Court sign a memorandum of understanding on establishing a standing interface platform on judicial and legal co-operation in the Greater Bay Area, which serves as a regular and institutionalised high-level official communication mechanism for deepening exchanges and co-operation and taking forward the work on the interfaces of mechanisms, regulatory frameworks and talent.

The governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao sign the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Emergency Management Co-operation and Greater Bay Area Emergency Response Operation Co-operation Framework Agreement, with a view to planning well ahead of time, improving the cross-boundary emergency response and rescue mechanism, fully leveraging the complementarity of emergency response and rescue units in the three places, and strengthening the ability to prevent, mitigate and relieve disasters and emergencies.

The coverage of Elderly Health Care Voucher has extended to more service points in the Greater Bay Area from the following dates onwards:
28 June: The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University (FAH-SYSU) in Guangzhou
18 July: Zhongshan Chen Xinghai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in Zhongshan
14 August: Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital, Shenzhen C.K.J Stomatological Hospital, and Dental Bauhinia Specialty Service Center (Shenzhen)/Dental Bauhinia General Care Center (Shenzhen) (Dental Bauhinia) in Shenzhen
6 September: Nansha Division of the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, and Dongguan Tungwah Hospital (Tungwah Hospital) in Dongguan

The Fourth Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Legal Professional Examination (the GBA Examination) was held. As more Hong Kong legal practitioners pass the GBA Examination and obtain practice qualifications to provide legal services in the nine Mainland municipalities in the Greater Bay Area, these Hong Kong legal practitioners with dual qualifications can contribute to the building of a pool of foreign-related legal talents in the Greater Bay Area for the country by utilising their abundant experience in handling cross-jurisdictional legal matters

The duty-free allowance for luggage articles brought into the Mainland from Hong Kong by visitors who are Mainland residents has been increased to RMB12 000, while retaining the measure of allowing for additional duty-free goods at the value of RMB3 000 purchased at port entry duty-free stores, bringing the total amount of allowance to RMB15 000. The measure enhances the shopping experiences of the Mainland residents and visitors in Hong Kong and provides them with greater flexibility when shopping, which will benefit Hong Kong in attracting more visitors and boosting the development of diversified tourism.

The Department of Justice and the Supreme People’s Court held the first high-level joint meeting in Huizhou to accelerate the work on the interfaces of mechanisms, regulatory frameworks and talent training relating to the Greater Bay Area, and to help different sectors seize the development opportunities in the Greater Bay Area through the construction of the rule of law.

A task force for advancing Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong intellectual property (IP) co-operation was established in Qianhai, Shenzhen, and convened its first meeting. The task force discussed and formulated practical and feasible proposals on co-operation that would deliver win-win outcomes for both Shenzhen and Hong Kong, covering measures on facilitating the handling of patent matters, encouraging transformation and commercialisation of IP rights, dispute resolution, expert assistance, co-operation and exchanges among service agencies, etc. The plaque unveiling ceremony of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Intellectual Property Enquiry Point (Enquiry Point) set up by the China (Shenzhen) Intellectual Property Protection Center was held after the meeting. The Enquiry Point provides enquiry services on the application and registration of trademarks, patents and designs in Hong Kong, so that residents and enterprises in the Mainland are able to have easy access to basic information about the application and registration of IP rights in Hong Kong.

Non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents can apply to the China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited entrusted by the Exit and Entry Administration of the country for the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (Non-Chinese Citizens). This measure offers them greater clearance convenience at control points of the Mainland, and facilitating their visit to the Mainland for business, travelling, visiting relatives, etc.

The GBA Online Collaborative Platform (gbadrplatform.org) was launched, which provides people and enterprises in the Greater Bay Area with an online dispute resolution option that is reliable, innovative and convenient. The Platform provides one-stop information on dispute resolution services in the Greater Bay Area, as well as links to websites of collaborative arbitration and mediation institutions, so that users can easily search for the required services, information and resources on dispute resolution.

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, leading the delegation of the HKSAR, met with the Secretary of the Communist Party of China Guangdong Provincial Committee, Mr Huang Kunming, and co-chaired the 24th Plenary of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference with the Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Wang Weizhong, in Guangzhou. The theme of the Conference was “Taking Forward the High-Quality Development of Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation, and Realising the New Strategic Positioning of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area”. The governments of Guangdong and the HKSAR have made steady progress in various co-operation areas, including innovation and technology, developing the Northern Metropolis, financial services, construction of the rule of law, pursuing the “dual carbon” goal, cross-boundary transport and logistics, investment, trade and IP, education, talent co-operation, healthcare, emergency management, youth development, culture, and the 15th National Games. Six co-operation agreements were signed after the Conference, covering legal affairs, quality, testing and certi-fication, food safety, healthcare co-operation, etc.

To facilitate cross-boundary healthcare collaboration, two new functions named “Cross-boundary Health Record” and “Personal Folder” of the eHealth mobile application have been piloted. Under the principle of “bring your own health records”, the new functions enhance the continuity of care for Hong Kong citizens through facilitating the use of electronic health records at designated medical institutions outside Hong Kong in a secured manner.

The Immigration Department launched the “Mutual Use of QR Code between HKSAR and Macao SAR Clearance Service” in collaboration with the Public Security Police Force, the Identification Services Bureau, the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau and the Public Security Forces Affairs Bureau of Macao. This initiative aims at providing faster and more convenient immigration clearance service for eligible Hong Kong residents and Macao residents.

The first Practical Legal Training for Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Lawyers was held at the Guangdong Judges College. Experts and lawyers with ample practical experience from the people’s courts, arbitral institutions and commercial mediation institutions, etc. on the Mainland gave lectures on topics including civil and commercial litigation, arbitration and mediation. The training seeks to facilitate the professional development of Greater Bay Area lawyers, thereby contributing to the construction of the rule of law in the Greater Bay Area.

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the PBOC and the HKMA on Cross-Boundary Linkage of Payment Systems between the Mainland and Hong Kong, establishing a co-operation framework for the linkage. The two sides also exchanged views on financial co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong, pushing forward the linkage of fast payment systems, etc.

To promote the interface of non-litigation dispute resolution services in the Greater Bay Area, the Department of Justice held the first Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Mediator Training Course of Hong Kong. Mediation experts from Guangdong and Macao introduced the respective mediation systems and culture of Guangdong and Macao, and shared their experiences. They also explored the latest developments of cross-boundary dispute mediation in the Greater Bay Area and the cultural difference and integration in mediation of the three places, and discussed topics including the means and skills in handling cross-boundary disputes.

The fifth meeting of the Task Force for Collaboration on the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy was held. The governments of the HKSAR and Shenzhen reported on the progress of the work of the Working Group for Sha Tau Kok Co-operation Zone and the Working Group for Qianhai - Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area, as well as the latest work on cross-boundary rail transport and boundary control points. The HKSAR Government also introduced key tasks for the Northern Metropolis in the second half of the year.

The first inauguration ceremony of City University of Hong Kong (Dongguan) was held, marking a new milestone in higher education co-operation in the Greater Bay Area.

The People’s Government of Guangdong Province announced the issuance of offshore renminbi (RMB) local government bonds in Hong Kong, which will be listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. This bond issuance not only fully demonstrates Hong Kong’s significant strengths in issuing RMB debt products, but also further solidifies Hong Kong’s position as a global offshore RMB business hub, contributes to the prudent and solid advancement of RMB internationalisation, and enables the Greater Bay Area to better serve as the momentum for high-quality development.

The HKSAR Government and the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China signed the Second Agreement Concerning Amendment to the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) Agreement on Trade in Services (Amendment Agreement II), with a view to further enhancing liberalisation and facilitating trade in services in response to the aspirations of the Hong Kong business community for greater participation in the development of the Mainland market.

The Amendment Agreement II introduces new liberalisation measures across several service sectors where Hong Kong enjoys competitive advantages, such as financial services, construction and related engineering services, testing and certification, telecommunications, motion pictures, television and tourism services. Most of the liberalisation measures apply to the whole Mainland, while some of them are designated for pilot implementation in the nine Pearl River Delta municipalities in the Greater Bay Area. The new agreement makes it easier for Hong Kong service suppliers to establish enterprises and develop business on the Mainland, enables more Hong Kong professionals to obtain qualifications to practise on the Mainland, and allows more of the Hong Kong’s quality services to be provided to the Mainland market, while contributing to and serving the country’s development.

The new agreement will be implemented starting from 1 March next year. Relevant details are available on the Trade and Industry Department website at www.tid.gov.hk/english/cepa/index.html

As stated in the Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address, the strengths of the Greater Bay Area will be leveraged to foster mutual capacity development. The HKSAR Government will promote Greater Bay Area development by building a higher level of connectivity, facilitating policy innovations and breakthroughs, pursuing wider harmonisation of rules and mechanisms, and expediting co-ordinated development of I&T and related industries. To enable the public to better understand the key measures for taking forward Greater Bay Area development stated in the Policy Address, we have compiled a quick overview of the measures related to the Greater Bay Area as below.

Continue to Enhance the Mutual Market Access Regime
Reinforce Hong Kong’s status as the world’s largest offshore Renminbi business hub; and look to enhance the Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Scheme

Joint Investment in the Greater Bay Area
The Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited is proactively exploring with the Mainland co-operation opportunities for joint investment in Greater Bay Area projects that present the potential to realise economic and social benefits

Expand High Value-added Logistics Services
Make good use of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to expand the catchment area of Hong Kong’s cargo services and facilitate more goods to go through Hong Kong

Enhance Aviation Development Strategies
Improve the Fly-Via-Zhuhai-Hong Kong direct passenger service and jointly develop international air cargo business

Enhance Advantages of the Air Cargo Industry
Press ahead in full steam with the innovative development of a sea-air intermodal cargo-transhipment mode, complete the first-phase construction of the Hong Kong International Airport Dongguan Logistics Park by the end of 2025, and make advance planning to commence the second-phase development

Promote Major Transport Infrastructure Development
Press ahead at full speed with the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link (Hung Shui Kiu-Qianhai) and the Northern Link Spur Line to enhance linkage between Hong Kong and Shenzhen

Increase Tourist Arrivals
Propose to the Central Government the resumption of Shenzhen residents’ “multiple-entry” Individual Visit Endorsements and the expansion of the “one trip per week” Individual Visit Endorsements to cover more pilot cities

Further Facilitate Northbound Flow of Talents
Extend the validity period of multiple-entry visas to a maximum of five years for foreign staff of companies registered in Hong Kong 

Strengthen Support for Youth Development
Enhance the Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme, and explore reciprocal arrangements

Enhance the Mechanism on Recognition of Professional Qualifications
Collaborate with the Guangdong Province and Macao to create the Greater Bay Area Standards on the skill level for skilled workers in the construction sector, and work with the “One Examination, Multiple Certification” arrangement

Strengthen Legal Co-operation
Enhance the arrangement for cross-boundary service of judicial documents, and promote the establishment of a Greater Bay Area legal information platform and a dedicated platform for Greater Bay Area lawyers to facilitate professional exchange and training

Scale up Medical Collaboration in the Greater Bay Area
Extend the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme to cover the nine Mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area

Care for the Elderly
Enhance the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong to provide more choices and support for elderly persons who opt to stay in RCHEs in the province

Publish the Development Outline for the Hong Kong Park in the Loop
Publish the Development Outline for the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, setting out innovative policies to facilitate the flow of personnel, materials, capital and data between the two parks

Strengthen Biomedical Technology R&D and Translation
Join hands with Shenzhen to establish the Greater Bay Area Clinical Trial Collaboration Platform, extending the R&D network and expediting clinical trials

Promote Data Flow
Extend the Standard Contract for the Cross-boundary Flow of Personal Information Within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Mainland, Hong Kong) to all sectors, promoting more cross-boundary services to benefit the public and businesses while facilitating data flow throughout the Greater Bay Area

The Fifth Session of the Elaboration of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation concluded in Hong Kong, and it was decided that the signing ceremony for the Convention will be held in Hong Kong in 2025. Upon the formal establishment of its headquarters in Hong Kong, the International Organization for Mediation will provide friendly, flexible, economical and efficient mediation services, thereby building Hong Kong as a capital for international mediation.

The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and the Youth Development Commission launched the 2025-26 Funding Scheme for Youth Internship in the Mainland and the Funding Scheme for Youth Exchange in the Mainland (1st round), which aim to enable Hong Kong young people to experience the actual workplace environment in the Mainland and deepen their understanding of the Mainland’s employment market, workplace culture and development opportunities, while enhancing their awareness and understanding of the country’s development, fostering their exchanges with Mainland people and strengthening their sense of national identity.

The 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival was held from 19 October to 24 November, during which over 260 spectacular events were staged in the “9+2” cities of the Greater Bay Area, presenting audiences with the rich arts and cultural essence of Greater Bay Area cities and showcasing to the world the new landscape of a bay area for culture.

The Digital Policy Office set up Hong Kong Cross-boundary Public Services self-service kiosks and “iAM Smart” self-registration kiosks in Foshan and Huizhou, helping residents and enterprises in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area access public services of Hong Kong without the need to travel to Hong Kong in person.

Seven additional RCHEs have become Recognised Service Providers under the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong, bringing the total number of RCHEs participating in the Scheme to 11. These RCHEs are located in the following five Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area:

Shenzhen: The Hong Kong Jockey Club Shenzhen Society for Rehabilitation Yee Hong Heights, and 深業頤居養老運營(深圳)有限公司 (Chinese name only)

Guangzhou: Home For The Aged Nansha (Yinian Medical Senior Citizen), Yishou Enjoylife Elderly Care Guangdong Guangzhou Luhujiazhanghui Nursing Home Branch, Guangzhou Tianyue Hexihui Home for the Elderly, and Guangzhou Chunxuanmao Chenchong Senior Living Service Co, Ltd

Foshan: 佛山市暢享薈養老院有限公司 (Chinese name only), Foshan Canopusland Co, Ltd, and Hetai Center

Zhongshan: Zhongshan Torch Development Zone Yikang Senior Services Center

Zhaoqing: The Hong Kong Jockey Club Helping Hand Zhaoqing Home for the Elderly

The facilitation measure on the Standard Contract for the Cross-boundary Flow of Personal Information Within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Mainland, Hong Kong) has been extended to all sectors in the Greater Bay Area, promoting more cross-boundary services to benefit the public and businesses while facilitating data flow throughout the Greater Bay Area.

The first batch of brokers eligible to participate in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Pilot Scheme was announced. 14 licensed corporations in Hong Kong will work in partnership with their Mainland partner brokers as confirmed by the China Securities Regulatory Commission to offer services related to Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect.

The Working Group on Developing Low-altitude Economy convened its first meeting to discuss the overall strategies and work plan for developing the low-altitude economy. The relevant work directions include taking forward Regulatory Sandbox pilot projects; bringing enhancements to legislation; and promoting an interface with the Mainland to facilitate cross-boundary low-altitude flying activities within the Greater Bay Area.

The first batch of 207 Hong Kong engineers from the public sector, consultants and contractors passed the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area engineering “Professional Title” evaluation and obtained corresponding engineering professional qualifications on the Mainland. “Professional Title” is a unique evaluation system for professional qualifications adopted by the Mainland. It is an important benchmark for evaluating the skills and qualification levels of professionals and provides a basis for construction enterprises to recruit and promote talents. The pilot mechanism for evaluation of “Professional Title” qualifications is an innovative mechanism for Hong Kong professionals to acquire such qualifications on the Mainland, and represents a major breakthrough in the convergence of the rules between the two places in the area of professional qualifications, thereby helping Hong Kong professionals gain recognition of their skill levels and qualifications in the Mainland market, and creating favourable conditions for the development of Hong Kong professionals on the Mainland.

The 2024 implementation meeting of the Culture and Tourism Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was held in Hong Kong, which summarised the progress made in the implementation of the Plan last year and discussed the key tasks for the upcoming year. The HKSAR Government will fully support and implement the key tasks of the Plan, closely collaborating with the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province as well as other culture and tourism departments of Greater Bay Area cities to deepen tourism co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong, with a view to enhancing Hong Kong’s role in national tourism development and contributing to achieving the goal of developing a world-class bay area for leisure, as set out in the Plan.

The sixth Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Legal Departments Joint Conference was held in Zhongshan to promote the flow of legal talents among the three places, and take forward the interface of regulatory frameworks and the establishment of a diversified dispute resolution mechanism in the Greater Bay Area, with a view to providing legal support for the development of a world-class bay area.

The Government promulgated the Development Outline for the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, which comprehensively and systematically outlines the vision and mission of the development of the Hong Kong Park in the Loop, the historical background and basis of the Loop development, major development directions, strategy and target of the Park, and the facilitation measures to promote the flow of cross-boundary elements between the Hong Kong Park and the Shenzhen Park, with a view to setting out a clear development plan for the Hong Kong Park.

The Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute, established and wholly owned by the HKSAR Government, was officially opened in the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone. The Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trials Center of the Shenzhen Municipality was also opened in the Shenzhen Park on the same day. The establishment of “one institute, one center” marked the first benchmark for co-ordinated development under “one zone, two parks” of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone.

The Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, attended Care Food Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Standards Memorandum of Understanding Signing Ceremony, jointly organised by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service and the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong. The “Care Food” Greater Bay Area Standards not only help the industry understand the food texture requirements of people with different chewing abilities, but also provide a reference framework for the catering industry in developing “Care Food” dishes and making soft meals. This will encourage restaurants and food manufacturers to introduce more elderly-friendly meals, thereby enabling elderly consumers to safely and easily rediscover the joy of dining, and to enjoy a better quality of life.

The Environmental Protection Department and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Development and Application of Hydrogen Energy in Hong Kong to strengthen collaboration between both parties in promoting the development, demonstration of application, as well as capacity building of the hydrogen energy industry, thereby positioning Hong Kong as a demonstration base for the national development of hydrogen energy, and enhancing public awareness of green hydrogen technology.

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, led a delegation of the HKSAR Government and senior representatives of the business sector to Guangzhou on 25 November to attend the Guangdong-Hong Kong Deepening Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation Conference co-organised by the People’s Government of Guangdong Province and the HKSAR Government, exchanging views on how to enhance economic and trade investment and co-operation, and promote high-quality development in the Greater Bay Area. Afterwards, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, led the delegation to visit five Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area, namely Foshan, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Huizhou and Shenzhen, to learn more about the successful experiences in the development and industrial planning of the Guangdong areas, and to further promote the HKSAR’s co-operation with the Guangdong Province and Greater Bay Area cities on business, trade and various industries. The delegation comprised about 50 members, including over 30 senior representatives from large enterprises, financial institutions and chambers of commerce in Hong Kong. The government official members of the delegation included the SCMA, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, and the Commissioner, Ms Maisie Chan.

With the Airport Authority Hong Kong’s equity acquisition of Zhuhai Airport, the HKSAR Government will work with Zhuhai to enhance the Fly-Via-Zhuhai-Hong Kong direct passenger service, and achieve greater synergy by integrating the international aviation network of Hong Kong International Airport and the domestic aviation network of Zhuhai Airport.  The HKSAR Government will also develop the international air cargo business in collaboration with Zhuhai and take forward the development of a high-end aviation industrial cluster, with the aim of realising a development plan which is mutually beneficial to the two places.

The one-year Pilot Scheme for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in the Greater Bay Area was officially launched, marking a new height in high-quality medical collaboration and development in the Greater Bay Area while addressing the earnest anticipation of residents in the Greater Bay Area. In the first phase of the Pilot Scheme, arrangements can be made for patients with specific needs to be transferred directly from the University of Hong Kong – Shenzhen Hospital or the Conde S. Januario Hospital of Macao to designated public hospitals in Hong Kong without the handover of patients between ambulances at boundary control points, thus minimising risks posed to patients during transfer. The HKSAR Government will continue to deepen healthcare collaboration with other Greater Bay Area cities to further boost healthcare integration within the Greater Bay Area, thereby building a Healthy Bay Area through joint endeavours.

The Central Government has resumed the multiple-entry Individual Visit Endorsements for Shenzhen permanent residents and implemented a new arrangement to expand the multiple-entry Individual Visit Endorsements to Shenzhen non-permanent residents holding residence permits, allowing them to visit Hong Kong more conveniently and freely, and thus further adding new momentum to Hong Kong’s tourism, catering, retail, and other industries.

The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, attended a seminar convened by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security in Beijing to exchange views on promoting talent exchanges and co-operation in the Greater Bay Area and to deepen and forge the work of building Hong Kong into an international hub for high-calibre talents.

The Second Business Conference on Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, attracting about 1 000 business leaders and representatives of enterprises from Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macao, as well as from other Mainland cities and overseas, for in-depth exchanges on key issues relating to Greater Bay Area development for promotion of the advantages and opportunities of the Greater Bay Area. The Conference provided a platform for the governments and the business sector to jointly drive forward the development of the Greater Bay Area, enabling Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to leverage their respective strengths in serving the country’s needs and contributing together to the country’s high-quality development.

The functions of “Cross-boundary Health Record” and “Personal Folder” in the eHealth mobile application have been extended to the two dental institutions in Shenzhen under the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme, which covers all medical institutions under the Pilot Scheme, as well as the Hong Kong University – Shenzhen Hospital, enhancing the continuity of medical care for Hong Kong citizens through facilitating their secure and convenient use of electronic health records across the boundary.

The legal departments of the Guangdong Province, the HKSAR and the Macao SAR officially released the consolidated Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Mediator Panel 2024 online. This initiative implements the measure in the Action Plan on the Construction of Rule of Law in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area released earlier by the Department of Justice, and effectively promotes the interface of mediation regulatory frameworks of the three places and a wider use of mediation in the Greater Bay Area, thereby further enhancing the multifaceted dispute resolution mechanism in the Greater Bay Area.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) announced various new policy measures to deepen the financial market connectivity between Hong Kong and the Mainland. On financial facilitation in the Greater Bay Area, the HKMA welcomed the inclusion of new participating banks by the PBoC to offer account opening by attestation services for Hong Kong residents, so that Hong Kong residents can open Mainland bank accounts without leaving Hong Kong. The relevant arrangement has been implemented on a trial basis since 2019.  Including the new participating banks, there are now a total of eight participating banks, namely Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, China Merchants Bank, Bank of East Asia, Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, Standard Chartered Bank, and Bank of Communications, which will provide Hong Kong residents with greater convenience in terms of consumption, everyday life and commute in the Mainland.