Hong Kong can learn from mainland China’s rapid push on development: Paul Chan

SCMP | Oct. 26, 2025, 6:50 a.m. | Original
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Financial Secretary Paul Chan (front row, fourth right) led a delegation to the mainland, with a look at the development of the Tongzhou campus of Renmin University of China one of the stops. Photo: Handout

Mainland China’s methods in achieving rapid development in recent years offer “valuable insights” for Hong Kong to advance its planned Northern Metropolis megaproject, the city’s finance chief has said.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po also pledged that Hong Kong would align with national development strategies and stay focused on accelerating the megaproject near the mainland border, a key platform of the city’s Greater Bay Area integration.

Hong Kong would also leverage its role as a “superconnector” to help strengthen ties with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Chan said in his weekly blog post on Sunday.

Chan returned from a visit to Beijing and the Xiongan New Area in Hebei province last week. His trip also coincided with the fourth plenary session of the Communist Party’s Central Committee in Beijing where cadres gathered to formulate the 15th five-year plan – the country’s development blueprint for 2026-30.

He said approval of the blueprint’s recommendations, as well as the rapid development of Beijing’s sub-centre and Xiongan, highlighted the mainland’s unique development model.

“Witnessing the dramatic transformation of [Beijing’s sub-centre and Xiongan] in just a few years deeply inspired our delegation. We believe their experiences offer valuable insights for the future development of Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis,” Chan said.

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