At a press conference during the Fifth Session of the 14th Guangdong Provincial People's Congress, senior officials from five key Greater Bay Area (GBA) cities—Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Dongguan, and Huizhou—outlined their development priorities for 2024. Shenzhen Mayor Qin Weizhong emphasized that the city will actively promote in-depth, cross-sectoral cooperation with Hong Kong, particularly in aligning with the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy and enhancing cross-border infrastructure connectivity.
Mayor Qin announced that Shenzhen will complete and open the new Huanggang Port this year, a 24-hour land port designed for a daily capacity of 200,000 people and a peak capacity of up to 300,000. The project will significantly boost cross-boundary mobility and economic integration between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
In parallel, the Hetao West Cross-River Bridge, a key structure linking the Hong Kong and Shenzhen parks within the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, will undergo accelerated construction. The bridge directly connects both sides of the innovation zone, becoming a vital artery for cross-boundary innovation collaboration.
Additionally, an upgraded version of the current channel at Lok Ma Chau will be moved and reconstructed near the Lok Ma Chau Bridge area on the Shenzhen side. According to Shenzhen authorities, this new facility will be developed as a "co-location arrangement" (One Place, Two Inspections), allowing for more efficient, regulated movement of scientific personnel and research materials across the border.
These infrastructure projects are part of Shenzhen's broader strategy to strengthen platforms such as Qianhai and Hetao, promoting high-level collaboration with Hong Kong in modern services and technological innovation. The two cities aim to jointly develop the concept of "one river, two banks" and "one zone, two parks," enabling the seamless flow of innovation resources, shared platforms, and cross-boundary industrial cooperation.
In 2023, Shenzhen introduced regulations for the Hetao Shenzhen Park, received central government approval for policies such as duty-free treatment of scientific research materials, and facilitated the cross-boundary flow of production factors. The park has since attracted six international industry and standards organizations, 52 high-end research institutions, and R&D centers of leading global enterprises, solidifying its role as a hub for advanced innovation.
Qin also revealed that Shenzhen will host the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November 2026. The city is committed to delivering top-tier services and strengthening coordination with Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and other participating cities to ensure successful hosting. This includes improving the full-chain foreign affairs service system and promoting cross-boundary coordination of industrial and supply chains to expand Hong Kong's integration into national and global development.
Meanwhile, Guangdong Provincial People's Congress Deputy and Vice President of the China Development Institute, Dr. Qu Jian, proposed establishing a unified Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Free Trade Zone in Qianhai, offering a richer testing ground for institutional innovation. He also suggested that Qianhai could serve as a pilot for developing a "Hong Kong version of Qianhai" within the Northern Metropolis, exploring cross-boundary enclave economic models to achieve full-factor flow between the two sides.
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