context: As the five-month demonstration in Hong Kong continues to escalate, Chinese media blame the city's socio-economic problems. Ignoring skepticism among Hong Kong youngsters and the population more generally, officials are continuing to present the GBA project as the solution, arguing it will diversify Hong Kong's economy and cut living costs.
During National Reform and Reform Commission's (NDRC) monthly press conference, Meng Wei 孟玮 NDRC spokesperson highlighted progress with the Greater Bay Area (GBA) project, including
- drafting action plans for
- infrastructure hubs
- environmental protection
- industry development
- inter-city railways
- developing innovation hubs
- two corridors: Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong and Guangzhou-Zhuhai-Macao
- two nodes: Lok Ma Chau Loop (Riverbank) and Hengqin
- Hong Kong University of Science and Technology's new campus in Guangzhou Nansha
- Chinese Academy of Sciences' new Hong Kong branch
- sci-tech infrastructure, including high-current particle accelerators and equipment for material genome and brain analysis and simulation
- transportation infrastructure upgrades
- high-quality living standards
- Guangdong 'Implementation plan on accelerating the development of Hong Kong and Macao youth innovation and entrepreneurship bases'
- preferential personal income tax policy
GBA should focus on sci-tech innovation, factor flows and livelihood improvement, said Han Zheng 韩正 Politburo Standing Committee member during the GBA Development Leading Group meeting on 6 Nov 2019. Especially young Hong Kong and Macao citizens should feel they benefit, stressed Han. Carry Lam 林郑月娥 Hong Kong chief executive and Fernando Chui 崔世安 Macao chief executive attended the meeting.
Institutional reform is key to GBA development, said Cao Dahua 曹达华 Guangdong Office of the Leading Group on GBA Construction executive deputy director-general at a separate event. Cao called for a smooth flow of
- research personnel
- research equipment
- research samples
- intellectual property protection
Carrie Lam and Bai Chunli 白春礼 CAS president signed a memorandum of cooperation for a CAS subsidiary in Hong Kong on 8 Nov 2019, with a healthcare and an artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics research cluster. The branch will
- promote research achievement conversion
- coordinate collaboration between CAS and local universities
- undertake technological education and promotion activities
The Hong Kong government will set up a joint laboratory funding scheme, said Lam, earmarking HK$30 million as research subsidies for CAS-approved joint labs. A similar agreement CAS signed with Guangzhou has already led to five projects, reported Economic Information Daily on 18 Nov 2019.