Experts Explore Soaring Nansha Opportunities

(22 October 2021, Hong Kong)  Nansha is China’s sixth “New Community” set up by the State, and also Guangzhou’s twin city hub. It presents enormous development opportunities as a “Comprehensive Cooperation Demonstration Zone” of the Greater Bay Area, as well as huge potential for mutual growth with Hong Kong.

In the forum on “Hong Kong-Nansha Cooperation”, experts from the government, industries, the academia, and research sectors from Hong Kong and Guangzhou pooled their wisdom together to explore new opportunities that the integrated strengths of Hong Kong and Nansha can co-create. 

Nansha boasts a diversified economic base underpinned by strong pillar industries and rapid-growth high-end industries. It pursues a robust incentive policy to lure talents. The forum shed light on the development of Nansha, and its huge opportunities for talents to ride on the benefits of China’s national development. 

The forum is jointly organised by Hong Kong Coalition, Our Hong Kong Foundation (OHKF), and Consultative Committee on Guangdong-Hong Kong Co-operation (Guangzhou Nansha). 

Leung Chun-ying, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative and Conference and Chief Convenor of Hong Kong Coalition, said in the opening remarks that when Nansha’s strengths and Hong Kong’s strengths are combined, with talents from both sides as the change agents, the result is not a mere physical process like putting two pieces of metal alongside one another but the creation of a new type of precious alloy. 

“This is what integrative development of Hong Kong and Nansha can achieve,” he said.

Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said that under the Northern Metropolis development plan, the innovative technology industry in northern Hong Kong will strengthen Hong Kong’s bond with GBA cities including Shenzhen and Guangzhou. This will help create a vibrant I&T ecosystem with a robust industry chain. “It will forge an international innovation and technology hub in the GBA as laid out in the 14th Five-Year Plan,” he said. 

Lu Yixian, Municipal Committee Member of Guangzhou and Party Secretary of Nansha District, highlighted that as the twin city hub and the number one development project of Guangzhou, Nansha fulfils its role as a major platform for Guangdong-Hong Kong cooperation. Upholding the “One Country, Two Systems" principle and strengthening the mutual recognition of mechanisms, Nansha will enhance Hong Kong-Guangzhou collaboration to achieve synergistic growth, and help Hong Kong tap into China’s rapid development. 

Eva Cheng, OHKF President and Deputy Secretary-General of the Hong Kong Coalition, noted that situated right at the centre of the GBA and well within one hour of travel time, Hong Kong and Nansha are natural partners. Our combined strengths can achieve a lot through entrepreneurship, investment, and cultural exchanges. “Co-development between Hong Kong and Nansha will also facilitate Hong Kong’s integration into our country’s overall development”, she observed.   

Six prominent experts from the government, industries, the academia, and research sectors from Hong Kong and Guangzhou analysed the strategic planning of Nansha, new cooperation mode, as well as the trade development opportunities of the two places during keynote sessions. 

Prof Lionel Ni, Founding President, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), said that the University can play an important role in building a talent pool and promoting technological advances for Nanshan and the GBA. He called on various sectors of society to make concerted efforts to form high-tech and emerging industrial clusters, and establish an innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Nansha, turning it into a talent hub in China. 

Eric Fok, Vice President of the Fok Ying Tung Group and Standing Committee Member of Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, pointed out that the annual “Hong Kong Youth Employment and Greater Bay Area Development Index” by Hong Kong Guangdong Youth Association shows that Hong Kong people are particularly interested in pursuing cultural and creative careers in the GBA. He is confident that Nansha’s unique advantages in technology, sports, and cultural industries will turn it into an industry and talent hub that connects Hong Kong, Macao, and the world.  

In the panel discussion on “Opportunities through Integrated Growth”, five eminent experts explored how Hong Kong and Nansha can develop new industries and create opportunities for young people in the GBA. The panellists are optimistic that the integrated strengths of Hong Kong and Guangdong will enjoy great prospects for innovation, cultural development, and entrepreneurship, and achieve fruitful results.

Guest Speakers include:

Keynote 1

Nansha Today: Blueprint for Growth, Industry Base, Talent Strategy

1. Yue Yi, Chairman, Consultative Committee on Guangdong-Hong Kong Co-operation (Guangzhou Nansha); Former Vice Chairman and Chief Executive, Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited
2. Xie Xiaohui, Vice Chairman, CPPCC Nansha District Committee; Director, Nansha District Bureau of Commerce
3. Prof Lionel Ni, Founding President, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou)

Keynote 2

Nansha Tomorrow: Opportunities, Tech Innovation, Business Development

1. Xu Ze, Vice Chairman, Consultative Committee on Guangdong-Hong Kong Co-operation (Guangzhou Nansha); Former Deputy Director, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office; President, Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies
2. Thomas Lee, Expert (Hong Kong) of Special Working Group on Land Planning and Development, Consultative Committee on Guangdong-Hong Kong Co-operation (Guangzhou Nansha); President, The Hong Kong Institute of Planners; Chairman, Planners Registration Board
3. Nicholas Kwan, Director of Research, Hong Kong Trade Development Council

Panel Discussion: Opportunities through Integrated Growth

1. Ruan Xiaohong, Member, CPC Nansha District Committee
2. Prof William Wong, Associate Dean (External Affairs) of the Faculty of Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Member, The National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; President, Hong Kong & Guangzhou Innovation and Technology Association
3. Eric Fok, Vice President, Fok Ying Tung Group; Standing Committee Member, Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; Chairman, Hong Kong Guangdong Youth Association; Vice Chairman, Guangzhou Youth Federation
4. Joe Lee, Co-Founder, Kuaidi Dache; Chief Executive Officer, Klover InsurTech; Director, Enroute Incubator
5. Andy Ng, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Timetable; Member (Hong Kong), Consultative Committee on Guangdong-Hong Kong Co-operation (Guangzhou Nansha)

 

Hong Kong-Nansha Cooperation Forum:
Full live webinar：https://youtu.be/MH-xnAuVyNc?t=507