On October 6, 2021, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, proposed in the latest "Policy Address" that Hong Kong will build the northern metropolitan area and the twin cities and three circles. This idea has immediately attracted social and media attention and heated discussions.
Looking at the 25 years of development thinking since the return of Hong Kong and the 40 years of Shenzhen’s reform and opening up, the northern metropolitan area has its historical context and the inevitability of the times. At this moment, it does have its own special features. meaning.
Written by: Zhang Keke
Policy Address 2021｜The Northern Metropolitan Region Proposes the Beginning of "Repayment of Debts" for the Integration of Hong Kong and Shenzhen The concept of "one river and two banks" 13 years ago
The development of Shenzhen is closely related to Hong Kong. Shenzhen has long proposed to "manage the second line and let go of the first line". Projects such as “Jointly Build Two Systems, Two Cities, New Metropolis” explore opportunities for integrated development.
At the same time, from the national level, we will plan the opening and integration pilots of Hainan and Hengqin, and grasp the breakthroughs in the high-end service industry in Qianhai, including pilots in some pilot free trade zones, and from the "Mainland and Hong Kong on Establishing Closer Economic and Trade Relations". Arrangements from China (CEPA) to the recent Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) are breaking old constraints, exploring new paths and establishing new patterns.
The development of the New Territories and the integration with Shenzhen are the biggest trend and continuous trend of Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation in the future.
Recently, groups from Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and even Hong Kong and the New Territories have been actively thinking about the topic of the northern metropolitan area of Hong Kong and the Three Circles of the Twin Cities.
Some studies are concerned about how much space is needed to connect the 300 square kilometers of Hong Kong, some think tanks have proposed a formula for planning the 600 square kilometers Shenzhen Lingang urban belt; some are concerned about the way of cooperation in scientific and technological innovation, whether it can be a science and technology special zone and a new carrier platform for scientific and technological innovation; some Focusing on promoting the development of the economic belt under the advantages of the Shenzhen port, new development projects are being deployed on both sides of the Shenzhen River, the Pearl River Estuary and the eastern sea area.
On January 12 this year, Carrie Lam proposed to exchange views with the leaders of Shenzhen City to discuss the implementation of three cross-border railway projects. At the same time, she is studying the improvement of the cross-border railway connecting Hong Kong and Qianhai in Hong Kong and the location of additional stations.
There are also many associations that have proposed civil cooperation, involving cooperation opportunities in education, medical care, cities, public facilities and smart flows, etc.
Everyone is imagining the future development vision of the northern metropolitan area. What kind of ecology should the Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation be? Is it the San Francisco Silicon Valley model or the Tokyo Circle model?
What needs to be broken to achieve the desired vision?
Under the concept of "one country, two systems", systems and infrastructure need to be innovated and constructed. Which is the most powerful driving force and fulcrum?
In October 2021, Chief Executive Carrie Lam first proposed the development strategy of the northern metropolitan area with an area of 300 square kilometers, which will form a strategic layout of "two places and three circles" with Shenzhen.
(China News Agency)
The main body of construction in the New Territories North is Hong Kong
The northern metropolitan area and the Shuangcheng three circles proposed by Lin Zhengyue-e, as Shenzhen, what should we pay attention to?
Everyone's attention is more about telling a story about 300 square kilometers in the northern metropolitan area.
The main body of construction in the northern metropolitan area is Hong Kong, and the construction space is also in Hong Kong.
The northern metropolitan area corresponds to the three-layer development of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories, and is one aspect of the three axes of the east, south and west of the Hong Kong 2030 plan.
The Twin Cities Three Circles are an extension of the New Territories North Development Belt.
For the two adjoining cities, the northern metro area focuses on Hong Kong, which continues to affect the other side of the river.
The Three Circles of the Twin Cities crosses the border, connects the twin cities, and involves the two systems, which is a new and challenging topic.
This time, it is particularly important that Hong Kong led the proposal, and it is also the first time that Hong Kong has proposed cross-border and cross-regional ideas.
The Northern Metropolitan Area and the Twin Cities Three Circles are a complete concept involving the internal development and adjacent development of Hong Kong, and the two complement each other.
Although there are many things Shenzhen wants to do, this is not only a matter of Shenzhen, but also a matter of Hong Kong and a major national event.
From the perspective of Shenzhen's long-term development, Shenzhen should pay more attention to the two cities and three circles.
Under the "One Country, Two Systems" framework, the northern metropolitan area involves the people's livelihood and public opinion in Hong Kong. The central government and various departments of the state will support and pay attention, and many projects are also being carried out.
Many central enterprises and large enterprises in Hong Kong will deploy development projects in the northern metropolitan area.
If Shenzhen grasps the concept of two cities and three circles, there must be more space, greater actions and more flexible market opportunities.
The Northern Metropolitan Area and the Twin Cities Three Circles are a complete concept involving the internal development and adjacent development of Hong Kong, and the two complement each other.
(China News Agency)
Shenzhen focuses on the layout of two cities and three circles
In fact, Shenzhen has been singing the symphony of Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation, but there are few chords and echoes.
From 2008 to 2009, in order to cooperate with the planning of the Pearl River Delta and to respond to the attack of the international financial turmoil, the people of Hong Kong took the initiative to propose the proposition that Hong Kong and Shenzhen should jointly build an international metropolis.
At that time, it was more synergistic from urban elements, including finance, logistics, and service industries. On the one hand, it expected to enhance the international competitiveness of regional cooperation, and on the other hand, it established the fortress position of the national layout.
At that time, high-level officials of Guangdong Province also proposed to Beijing a motion to build a "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Special Cooperation Zone".
Guangdong's proposal has been replaced by an opportunity for the service industry in the seventh to tenth rounds of CEPA to be piloted, and it also opened the curtain for the special innovation of the high-end service industry in Qianhai.
In assessing the public opinion trends of "One Country, Two Systems", Hong Kong also sang an aria of "Great Pearl River Delta Quality Life Circle". Shenzhen corresponds to the chord of "Two Systems, Two Cities". The CPPCC members put forward a series of 1+6 research reports on comprehensive cooperation, taking the development of the Loop and Shenzhen-Hong Kong cross-border port transportation services as the ten major infrastructure construction projects, which have been progressing year after year and continue to pay attention.
The concept of the northern metropolitan area is based on the fact that Hong Kong Island has developed for more than 100 years and Kowloon has developed for decades, but the New Territories have not developed for 30 years.
The strategy that should be prioritized for the development of the northern metropolitan area is in this part of the twin cities and the three circles. Hong Kong’s layout of the twin cities and three circles is to cooperate with the resources of Shenzhen and the mainland to better drive the development of the northern metropolitan area of Hong Kong.
Shenzhen should actively cooperate with Hong Kong in the development of the northern metropolitan area, take part in the layout, build a new mechanism for the development of two cities and three circles, and strive to give Shenzhen a place at the national level.
In such Shenzhen-Hong Kong dual-city cooperation, institutional innovation, technological development, talent support, service improvement, social integration, and infrastructure convenience are the most important and should be paid attention to.
Seamless connection between Hong Kong and Shenzhen (1): grasping the two cities and three circles to promote the coordinated development of one country, two systems｜Zhang Keke
Seamless connection between Hong Kong and Shenzhen (2): Find out the family background and comprehensively expand the functions of cross-border new cities｜Zhang Keke
Seamless Connectivity between Hong Kong and Shenzhen (3): Constructing "Five Rings and Three Pivots" and Improving Supporting Functions｜Zhang Keke
The author of this article, Zhang Keke, is an expert of the Shenzhen Pilot Demonstration Zone Bay Area Group, a consultant of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao Science and Technology Alliance, a director of the Cross-Strait and Hong Kong-Macao Innovation Alliance, and the former full-time vice chairman of Shenzhen Science and Technology Association.
The article is purely the author's opinion and does not represent the position of Hong Kong 01.
The article is purely the author's opinion and does not represent the position of Hong Kong 01.
