Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis can benefit from EU firms’ expertise: John Lee

Hong Kong’s leader has called for more cooperation with European businesses on the Northern Metropolis, a key initiative aimed at driving future growth and sustainability for the city, a day after a top Beijing official urged expediting the megaproject.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said during his opening remarks at the sustainability event Greenway 2025 on Monday that Hong Kong and the EU could work together to find new solutions to climate change.

“I look forward to the expertise and support of EU companies in the Northern Metropolis, our new engine for growth, dedicated to green living and the area’s long-term green development,” Lee said.

On Sunday, Lee revealed that Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office director Xia Baolong had called on the city’s authorities to speed up work on the megaproject by removing barriers.

The Northern Metropolis scheme, which includes the San Tin Technopole innovation hub, aims to turn 30,000 hectares (74,132 acres) of land into a new engine for economic growth. The megaproject is set to house a population of about 2.5 million and create around 650,000 jobs.

Monday’s event was organised by the EU Office in Hong Kong and the city’s European Chamber of Commerce under the theme of “accelerating changes”.

Both Hong Kong and the European Union have set ambitious sustainability goals as they each seek to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.