HK deputies urge for linking GBA's finance, healthcare and sports sectors

Release time：2024-05-21 09:06:46 Source：Planet Panorama news portal

Since the release of the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area five years ago, the Greater Bay Area (GBA) has rapidly progressed towards becoming an international first-class bay area and a world-class city cluster. During this year's "two sessions," deputies to 14th National People's Congress from the Hong Kong Special Administration Region (HKSAR) have advocated for further integration between finance, healthcare and sports in the GBA.

Chan Chun-ying, a deputy to 14th National People's Congress and a member of HKSAR's Legislative Council, poses for a photo at a meeting during this year's "two sessions" in Beijing, March 6, 2024. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

Chan Chun-ying, a member of HKSAR's Legislative Council, suggested merging financial payment tools in the GBA to facilitate consumption by Hong Kong and Macao residents. He also recommended strengthening Hong Kong's capacity to attract capital and support local financial institutions in expanding their operations on the mainland.

Chan highlighted that the successive release of various policies since the outline development plan have led to more breakthroughs in GBA's financial development. This includes enhanced financial cooperation and transparency between the mainland and Hong Kong, creating new opportunities in cross-border finance, livelihood finance, technology finance and green finance in Hong Kong.

Emphasizing the GBA's vital role in global competition, Chan proposed leveraging comprehensive advantages to deepen cooperation between the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, particularly in technology finance. He suggested encouraging Hong Kong financial institutions and professionals to establish businesses within GBA cities that would provide high-end financial services for mainland technology and innovation enterprises.

Additionally, Chan recommended establishing a coordination mechanism for financial regulation within the GBA, stating that this process would facilitate effective cooperation between Hong Kong and mainland cities under different legal, tax and currency systems.

Lam Shun Chiu, Dennis, a deputy to 14th National People's Congress and president of C-MER Eye Holdings Co.,Ltd, poses for a photo outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 5, 2024. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

Lam Shun Chiu, Dennis, president of C-MER Eye Holdings Co.,Ltd, suggested measures to promote the interconnectivity of the area's medicinal industry and technologies. Lam aimed to leverage Hong Kong's medical expertise to elevate the overall medical standards in the GBA to current international medical standards.

With an increasing number of Hong Kong residents residing in the GBA, the demand for cross-border healthcare has risen. Lam proposed issuing a temporary medical treatment permit allowing holders multiple entries between the mainland and Hong Kong for medical purposes. 

He also recommended providing more official information and assistance to mainland residents seeking medical care in Hong Kong through platforms like an official website, Mandarin hotline and online appointment system.

"Further promoting cross-border medical integration between Hong Kong and the mainland is designed to enhance healthcare services for mainland residents seeking medical care in Hong Kong," said Lam. He added that this collaborative healthcare approach has the potential to inspire more Hong Kong residents to pursue employment and opportunities within the GBA. 

In recent years, healthcare integration in the GBA has accelerated, focusing on institutional alignment and infrastructure connectivity. Under a GBA medical talent exchange program in 2023, Guangdong province dispatched nearly a hundred medical professionals to practice in public medical institutions in Hong Kong and Macao, exploring the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine. Moreover, an increasing number of GBA medical institutions are introducing Hong Kong-style medical services.

Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, a deputy to 14th National People's Congress and vice president of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee, poses for a photo outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 5, 2024. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, vice president of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong and a member of the Legislative Council of HKSAR, proposed the establishment of a "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Sports Bay Area."

In 2025, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will co-host the 15th National Games, marking the first time the GBA will organize a large-scale comprehensive sporting event. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Fok suggested that the construction of a sports bay area be expedited. 

Fok outlined six core functions of the GBA post the 15th National Games, such as making it a facility for hosting major sporting events and industry exhibitions, establishing it as a headquarters for sports organizations and branding it as a center for sports education and sports medicine.

He also suggested breaking down entry barriers, unifying competition scoring rules and establishing a standardized ranking system. Additionally, he proposed promoting sports' cultural heritage with Lingnan, an alternative word for Cantonese culture. This would diversify sporting events in the GBA by jointly hosting internationally renowned competitions and simultaneously creating an international sports event brand.

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