Officials, experts discuss new opportunities from development plans of Qianhai, Hengqin

HONG KONG, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Coalition on Monday held an online seminar on the interpretation of the Hengqin plan and Qianhai plan, with more than 10 officials and experts from Hong Kong, Macao and the mainland sharing their views on the new development opportunities brought by the two new plans.

China's central authorities have recently issued the general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin and the plan for comprehensively deepening the reform and opening up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone.

Leung Chun-ying, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and chief convener of the coalition, said in his speech that the two plans provided a broader, more convenient and quality environment for residents of the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao to live, invest and work.

They also provided more diversified development opportunities for enterprises in Hong Kong and Macao, and allowed multinational companies and the international community to seek business opportunities in the vast mainland market through a more familiar operating environment in Hong Kong and Macao, Leung said.

He pointed out that Qianhai, Hengqin and Nansha, as important platforms for the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), have their respective characteristics and advantages, serving as accelerators for Guangdong-Hong Kong, Guangdong-Macao and Hong Kong-Macao in-depth cooperation.

Xu Ze, president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, said the two plans fully demonstrated the central authorities' firm determination to continue advancing reform and opening up, highlighted the need to leverage the strengths of Hong Kong and Macao, and charted a feasible path for deepening Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation.

Hong Kong needs to be well prepared to seize the opportunity, Xu said, noting that only by following the general trend and leveraging and enhancing Hong Kong's strengths will Hong Kong have a future.

Paul Chan, financial secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, said that although the Hengqin plan and the Qianhai plan have different emphases, they both focus on assisting the country to deepen reform and further promote high-quality opening-up.

The Qianhai plan has created greater development space for Hong Kong, provided a driving force for the further improvement of Hong Kong's advantages and pillar industries, and provided a broader platform for the development of young people, Chan said.

He stressed that Hong Kong should seize the new opportunities brought by the national development through cooperation and coordinated development, and make its competitive industries bigger and stronger, thus creating greater development space for Hong Kong people including youth.

Lei Wai Nong, secretary for economy and finance of the Macao Special Administrative Region government, said that the Hengqin plan enables Macao's advantages in business environment to closely link with the GBA's huge domestic market, complete industrial chain, rapid development of infrastructure and the continuous innovation of institutional potential and policy space.

The plan will not only facilitate domestic and foreign investors to form an alliance with Macao capital and enterprises to enter the in-depth cooperation zone and further explore the GBA market, but will also help create a first-class business environment and build the cooperation zone with high quality and efficiency, Lei said.

He also welcomed professionals from Hong Kong to seek development in Hengqin, contribute their wisdom and jointly promote the development of the GBA.

During the discussion session held in Hong Kong, industry professionals and experts from the fields of finance, law and big data expressed their belief that both the Hengqin plan and the Qianhai plan enriched the practice of "one country, two systems" and deepened and enhanced the reform and opening up. They hoped that various sectors of Hong Kong would seize the precious opportunities to integrate into the national development.