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John Lee calls for Hong Kong and Dongguan cooperation on innovation, citing close ties between Greater Bay Area cities

  • Chief executive cites cities’ complementary strengths: Dongguan in hi-tech manufacturing, Hong Kong in connecting the Greater Bay Area to the world
  • More than 8,000 Hong Kong-based enterprises have operations in Dongguan, Lee says

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The skyline of Dongguan, Guangdong province, China, pictured in 2021. Photo:  Shutterstock

Hong Kong and Dongguan leaders on Thursday pledged closer links on technology and innovation development as they eye greater collaboration to capitalise on the relative strengths of the two cities in the Greater Bay Area.

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Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, in his first 2024 appearance outside Hong Kong, called for technology and innovation collaboration between the two cities in a bid to boost high-quality development in the bay area.
“Among the cities in the Greater Bay Area which have strong strengths in [different] industries, Dongguan has obvious advantages in hi-tech manufacturing,” Lee told the forum in Dongguan. “The city, where more than 8,000 Hong Kong enterprises are operated, about one third of those in the Greater Bay Area, has a close tie with the special administrative region.”
Lee’s call comes five years after the Chinese government issued the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area in 2019.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee attends the 2024 Greater Bay Area iForum, hosted by the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, in Dongguan on January 4, 2024. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee attends the 2024 Greater Bay Area iForum, hosted by the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, in Dongguan on January 4, 2024. Photo: Handout
The Hong Kong leader cited his visit last year to a new logistics park in Dongguan, which was developed in collaboration with Hong Kong, as an example of what the two cities can accomplish together.
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Hong Kong needs to play the dual role of “superconnector” and “super value-adder”, with a view to connecting the bay area to the international market, proactively integrating into national development while consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s international competitiveness, Lee said.

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