Can China’s ‘Greater Bay Area’ match its New York and San Francisco counterparts? Much will depend on Beijing
Hurdles remain for scheme to integrate Hong Kong, Macau and nine mainland cities, including their three different legal systems and currencies
With its commercial skyscrapers, luxury shops and restaurants lined up along wide and clean thoroughfares, Nanshan could pass off as Central in Hong Kong.
Except, Nanshan is across the waters of Shenzhen Bay, opposite the packed residential district of Tin Shui Wai near Yuen Long, and it is one of the world’s biggest technology powerhouses.
On paper, the plan is a no-brainer, an instant sell.
But the hard facts on the ground are that the cities have very different systems and cultures, and much will depend on how far Beijing is prepared to make changes to facilitate integration and create a sustainable environment for cooperation to thrive.
How China’s Pearl River Delta went from the world’s factory floor to a hi-tech hub
The Greater Bay Area concept was championed by Premier Li Keqiang and involves creating a world-class technology hub based on increased cooperation in the region.
