Image 1: The China Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area Think Tank Alliance hosted a symposium on the theme of “How Hong Kong and Macao actively participate in and proactively align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan”.
(Hong Kong, 16 April 2026) The China Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area Think Tank Alliance (GBATTA) recently hosted a symposium on “How Hong Kong and Macao Actively Participate in and Proactively Align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan” at Tianda Institute. Guests included Mr Zhang Jun, Deputy Director of the Research Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People”s Government in the Hong Kong S.A.R.; Dr Wang Chunxin, Deputy Head of the Chief Executive”s Policy Unit of the Hong Kong S.A.R. Government; Mr Fang Wenquan, Chairman of the China Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Think Tank Alliance and Chairman of Tianda Institute; Ms Cathy Li, Assistant Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area of the Hong Kong S.A.R. Government; Ms Fiona Wong, Assistant Secretary of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office of the Hong Kong S.A.R. Government; Mr Gordon Lam, Deputy to the National People”s Congress from the HKSAR; Professor Tang Heiwei, Associate Vice-President of The University of Hong Kong; and Professor Li Lue, Chief Supervisor of the Union of Macau Scholars. More than 20 experts and scholars attended the event, exchanging views on how Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions (SARs) can leverage the advantages of “One Country, Two Systems” to better align with national strategies. The discussions focused on transitioning from “passive alignment” to “proactive alignment” and “forward-looking planning”, with the aim of jointly mapping out a blueprint for the development of the Greater Bay Area.
Chairman Fang Wenquan noted in his opening remarks that the HKSAR and MSAR governments are actively aligning with the National 15th Five-Year Plan. The symposium aimed to provide strategic advice to both governments, particularly the HKSAR administration, as it prepares its inaugural five-year plan. The aim of this initiative is to help Hong Kong and Macao further integrate into the nation’s overall development and propel the coordinated development of the GBA to new heights.
Image 2: Participating guests engaged in an in-depth discussion on “How Hong Kong and Macao actively participate in and proactively align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan”.
The symposium closely aligned with the new landscape of the National “15th Five-Year Plan” period, analysing how Hong Kong and Macao can better serve the national strategy. Participants pointed out that Hong Kong should incorporate its distinctive local characteristics into its plans. Experts suggested that Hong Kong should accelerate its transformation from a “super connector” to a “super value-adder”, playing an active role as a “super partner” in linking the Chinese mainland with the global opportunities. Meanwhile, it was suggested that Macao should leverage its unique role as a “precise connector” to Latin America by expanding its economic and trade services to Spanish-speaking nations worldwide. It should also utilise Hengqin as a platform to enhance its cross-system governance capabilities, establishing a talent hub by developing the Macao-Hengqin International University Town. Experts unanimously agreed that the National 15th Five-Year Plan period represented a “golden window of opportunity” for the transformation and upgrading of Hong Kong and Macao. To achieve high-quality development, both regions should leverage their unique strengths and proactively align with national strategies, integrating into a broader national development landscape.
