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Hong Kong is stepping up efforts to position the Northern Metropolis as a platform connecting ASEAN businesses with opportunities across the Greater Bay Area, as diplomats, chamber representatives and business leaders from Southeast Asia were brought on a government-led tour of the mega-development project.

The nearly 70-strong delegation, organised by the Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation (HKAF) in conjunction with the Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office (NMCO), comprised ASEAN consuls-general, chamber representatives, and leaders from the business and academic sectors, along with consular and institutional representatives from Belarus, Canada, Hungary and the UK. 

The visit comes as Hong Kong seeks stronger economic ties with Southeast Asia while accelerating development of the Northern Metropolis, a project envisioned as a cornerstone of the city’s long-term integration with the Greater Bay Area.

ASEAN remained Hong Kong’s second-largest trading partner in 2025, with merchandise trade reaching HK$1.67 trillion, or 15.3 per cent of the city’s total trade, according to the Trade and Industry Department. Daryl Ng, Chairman of the Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation, said the Northern Metropolis could serve as a platform connecting international businesses with opportunities across the Greater Bay Area.

“The Northern Metropolis is a key component in Hong Kong’s long-term development,” he said. “As the first Hong Kong project included in the national 15th Five-Year Plan, it reflects the Central Authorities’ strong support for Hong Kong’s future.”

Ng said the area would serve as a development base for Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland enterprises while functioning as a hub for innovation and industry. “It provides a platform for strengthening collaboration between the international community and the Greater Bay Area.”

Leading the delegation, Linda So Wai-sze, Director of the Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office, said the development was intended to support Hong Kong’s role under national development strategies.

“The Northern Metropolis is an important platform for Hong Kong to fulfil its role of ‘bringing in and going global’ under the national development strategy,” she said. 

“International enterprises may use it as a gateway to access the Greater Bay Area and other Chinese Mainland markets, while facilitating the expansion of Chinese Mainland enterprises into overseas markets.”

The Northern Metropolis covers a large portion of Hong Kong’s northern New Territories and has been designated as a major development zone integrating housing, industry, innovation and transport infrastructure. The development area has now entered a new phase focused on construction, industry attraction and business operations. 

The latest Five-Year Plan approved by the National People’s Congress called for faster development of the Northern Metropolis, which accounts for roughly one third of Hong Kong’s land area and planned population. 

During the visit, delegates toured the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area Community Liaison Centre, the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park, Long Valley Nature Park and Ming Tak Tong in Yuen Long.

The government’s pitch centred largely on innovation and technology, an area where policymakers see opportunities for greater collaboration between ASEAN businesses and companies operating across the Greater Bay Area.

The Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park, located in the Lok Ma Chau Loop, has been promoted as a flagship cross-border innovation project linking Hong Kong and Shenzhen. 

According to government projections, the completed Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone could contribute HK$52 billion annually to Hong Kong’s economy and create around 52,000 jobs.

Officials appear keen to draw interest not only from mainland and Hong Kong firms, but also from overseas businesses looking for a foothold in the Greater Bay Area.

Eric Teo, Consul-General of Singapore in Hong Kong, said the visit had provided delegates with a better understanding of the area’s industrial direction and development plans.

“I am pleased to have taken part in this visit and gained deeper insights into the overall planning of the Northern Metropolis,” he said. 

“The visit deepened our understanding of the area’s developments in innovation and technology, modern logistics & other sectors as part of its broader industrial positioning and long-term vision.”

Teo added that they had learnt about Hong Kong’s role as a regional connector between the Greater Bay Area and the international community, including the ASEAN region.