Photo shows a view of Nansha Port in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

With the development of Guangzhou’s Nansha district gaining pace, various sectors of the Hong Kong community should proactively seize the opportunities under the Nansha Plan, such as the tax incentives and the support policy for investment, officials said at a policy promotion seminar on the Nansha Plan on Wednesday.

Nansha is not only an important platform for cooperation and development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, but also a gateway to high-level opening-up, offering strong support for Hong Kong’s integration into the country’s overall development, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said in his opening speech at the seminar, which he attended online.

Located at the geographic center of the Greater Bay Area, Nansha has been earmarked by the central government as a key development zone in the 11-city cluster

Located at the geographic center of the Greater Bay Area, Nansha has been earmarked by the central government as a key development zone in the 11-city cluster.

As one of the zones in Guangzhou that has experienced the fastest economic development in recent years, Nansha boasts significant advantages in high-end manufacturing, shipping and logistics, as well as strength in scientific research and development, Lee said.

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The Nansha Plan was unveiled by the State Council in June, set[1]ting out five key development directions for the district, namely, science and technology, youth innovation and entrepreneurship, a high standard of opening-up, a regulatory interface and connectivity, and high-quality urban development.

In the same month, Nansha issued 10 new measures to support young people from Hong Kong who are starting businesses and seeking jobs in the district, offering salary subsidies and incentives for entrepreneurs.

The district later also rolled out tax reductions for Hong Kong residents who work in Nansha as well as policies to beef up the development of the innovation and technology sector.

Hosted by the Administrative Committee of Nansha Development Zone (Pilot Free Trade Zone), Wednesday’s seminar provided an update on the implementation of key policies in the Nansha Plan.

“By virtue of the joint efforts made by the governments and people of Guangdong and Hong Kong, the Nansha Plan will bring limit[1]less opportunities,” Lee said, adding that the special administrative government will encourage all sec[1]tors to strengthen cooperation with Nansha.

In the insurance sector specifically, Hong Kong is striving to establish insurance after-sales service centers in Nansha and other strategic locations like Qianhai to enhance ties within the Greater Bay Area’s insurance market, Lee said.

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Leung Chun-ying, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, said Hong Kong is well-placed to share knowledge and connections with Nansha and the international business community, whether or not they are based in Hong Kong. “Hong Kong is well-known for its superconnector role and it is even better known for its sharing mind[1]set,” Leung said.

The opening of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s Nansha campus this September is a case in point. Known as HKUST (Guangzhou), the university’s Nan[1]sha branch has adopted the same admission standards as its campus in Hong Kong.

Leung said this move not only brings a top-notch Hong Kong research university to Guangdong, but also makes its research strengths available to boost the province’s world-class commercialization capabilities.

Party Secretary of Nansha District Lu Yixian said it is important to enhance Nansha’s ties with Hong Kong, to attain mutual benefits and win-win results.

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“Nansha is able to assist Hong Kong to integrate into the national development landscape, maintain long-term prosperity and stability, and also build the Greater Bay Area into a world-class bay area,” Lu said.