Guangdong vows economic cooperation with HKSAR

An evening view of Canton Tower in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, on July 30, 2019. (PHOTO / VCG)

Guangdong province pledged on Wednesday to make an all­-out effort to enhance collaboration with Hong Kong in a series of eco­nomic and cultural initiatives, including introducing policies to build a favorable environment to support the city’s plan to attract the top scientific brains from overseas.

These efforts incorporate five key areas — improving pandemic control; boosting collaboration on technology, finance and trade; enhancing cross­-boundary infra­ structure and simple custom clear­ance; promoting youth exchange and education collaboration; and improving the quality of life for those Hong Kong and Macao resi­dents taking up residence in Guangdong.

The pledge was made by Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, together with officials from Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

The Hong Kong government in November said in the latest Policy Address that it plans to launch a five-­year program at an estimated cost of HK$2 billion (US$258 million) to net around 100 overseas top technology professionals to work in Hong Kong.

In addition to attracting mature top professionals, Guangdong pledged to formulate supporting policies to facilitate the HKSAR gov­ernment’s newly announced employment program for Hong Kong youngsters who want to work in the Greater Bay Area

Guangdong said it will support the program and collaborate with Hong Kong in a bid to expand the talent pool in theGuangdong­-Hong Kong-­Macao Greater Bay Area.

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Hong Kong Chief Executive Car­rie Lam Cheng Yuet-­ngor told the media in late October that Hong Kong is in talks with Shenzhen to team up to attract top Chinese sci­entists who are discouraged by the hostile academic environment in the United States.

In addition to attracting mature top professionals, Guangdong pledged to formulate supporting policies to facilitate the SAR gov­ernment’s newly announced employment program for Hong Kong youngsters who want to work in the Bay Area.

The employment program, a key initiative of Lam in the Policy Address, will provide about 2,000 jobs based in the nine Guangdong cities of the Bay Area, with a monthly subsidy of HK$10,000 for up to 18 months.

On the entrepreneurial front, Guangdong will push ahead with the construction of 10 innovation entrepreneurial bases for young people from Hong Kong and Macao. More policies to help them land a job or start a business are expected to follow.

A big push is also expected for a major collaboration project betweenShenzhen and Hong Kong— the Shenzhen-­Hong Kong Inno­vation and Technology Coopera­tion Zone. The area encompasses the Hong Kong­-Shenzhen Technol­ogy Park in Hong Kong, and the adjacent Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Zone in Guangdong.

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A series of national-­level, Hong Kong and world-­level technology research programs are expected to be brought into the Shenzhen side of the Cooperation Zone.

In another push for biotech com­panies listed in Hong Kong, Guang­dong vowed to proactively facilitate the inclusion of pre-­profit biotech companies listed in Hong Kong on the Stock Connect that would allow trading of those companies’ shares on the Chinese mainland.

In terms of medical service, Shenzhen will support the clinical emer­gency use of medicines and medical equipment registered in Hong Kong at the University of Hong Kong­ Shenzhen Unit in a pilot program.

Moreover, Shenzhen will also facilitate SAR government’s new arrangement of having the hospital joint­-venture provide follow­-up medical counseling for Hong Kong residents living in Guangdong.