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Connor Mycroft

Singaporean businesses are keen to explore the “massive potential” emerging in Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis megaproject after the country’s prime minister visited the site earlier this year, its top envoy to the city has said.
In an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post, Singapore’s consul general to Hong Kong, Eric Teo Boon Hee, said the country’s business chambers were considering fact-finding missions to explore opportunities in the 30,000-hectare development.
During a visit in March, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong toured the 87-hectare Hong Kong park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone.
The park forms part of the wider Northern Metropolis scheme, the centrepiece of Hong Kong’s long-term development strategy. The plan will transform land near the border with mainland China into what authorities hope will become a new engine of economic growth and a housing hub.
“The prime minister’s visit to the Northern Metropolis generated much interest in Singapore among some of the companies, and now they are interested to come and take a look,” Teo said, adding that the consulate was encouraging firms to visit.
“I know that the business chambers in Singapore are now planning to have study trips to come to the Northern Metropolis in the near future to explore these potential opportunities.”
He also said universities in Hong Kong and Singapore were in “preliminary discussions” over potential areas of future collaboration in the megaproject’s planned university town.


Asked whether any particular sector held the greatest potential for Singaporean firms, Teo said he would leave that decision to the companies themselves.
“Whether it is in AI, biotech, or other [research and development] areas, I think the potential is all there,” he said. “I will leave it to the businesses to assess it for themselves.”
The megaproject includes an innovation and technology zone, a commerce and industry zone, and a high-end professional services and logistics hub. The Hetao area, in particular, plays a crucial role in advancing Greater Bay Area cooperation under the nation’s five-year plan covering 2026 to 2030.
In August, the wider project reached a milestone when a consortium of mainland state-owned and private companies – including e-commerce giant JD.com – and a major Hong Kong developer won the area’s first “large-scale land disposal” project for HK$1.03 billion (US$132 million). Total investment is projected at HK$16.8 billion.
But development still faces hurdles, including enormous capital requirements, a lack of existing transport infrastructure and a tepid response from local property developers.
Teo described the Northern Metropolis as Hong Kong’s leading medium- to long-term development project, which was why his team had encouraged Prime Minister Wong to visit the site during his trip.
He added that the city’s south-north dual-engine strategy – pairing its traditional financial-services sector with the new innovation and technology hub in the Northern Metropolis – was “complementary” to Singapore.

When Prime Minister Wong visited the Hetao park, he saw the “potential” of the project, particularly in cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, Teo said.
Since the project was unveiled in 2021, Beijing has positioned it as a technology and innovation corridor that would link Hong Kong more closely with neighbouring Shenzhen under the national five-year plan.
Teo said Shenzhen had strengths in advanced manufacturing, while Hong Kong had its own “unique advantages” as an open financial centre with a common-law legal system.
“If Shenzhen and Hong Kong are able to work together with their respective strengths, then I think this project has really massive potential,” he said.
Asked whether Singapore viewed the Northern Metropolis primarily through a lens of competition rather than opportunity, Teo said it was “not zero sum”.
“I think the Northern Metropolis has opportunities for our Singapore companies, so they should come in and take a look at what areas they can get involved in,” he said.


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Singapore firms keen to tap Northern Metropolis’ ‘massive potential’, envoy says

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (fourth from left, front row) visited the Hong Kong park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone in March. Photo: ISD

Consul General Eric Teo says Singapore businesses see potential in AI, biotech and other research opportunities in the Northern Metropolis. Photo: Jonathan Wong

The Hung Shui Kiu area. A consortium comprising mainland Chinese state-owned and private heavyweights together with a major Hong Kong developer has won the first “large-scale land disposal” project in the area. Photo: Dickson Lee

Singapore to explore opportunities in Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis: Lawrence Wong

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (second left) is briefed by Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong (third left) during his visit to the Hong Kong park in the Hetao cooperation zone. Photo: Handout

Singapore’s Lawrence Wong (left) met city leader John Lee at Government House. Photo: Elson Li

The Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen new development area of the Northern Metropolis. Photo: Elson Li

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong meets with city leader John Lee during his visit to Hong Kong on March 27, 2026. Photo: Facebook/Lawrence Wong 

Officials from the Singaporean and Hong Kong governments meet during Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s visit to the city on March 27, 2026. Photo: Facebook/Lawrence Wong 

JD.com boosts Northern Metropolis logistics hub, but hurdles loom: experts

JD.com is part of a consortium that will develop land in Hung Shui Kiu. Photo: Dickson Lee

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Hong Kong

Hong Kong Economy

Consul general says businesses see potential in AI, biotech and other research opportunities in the 30,000-hectare development


Consul general says businesses see potential in AI, biotech and other research opportunities in the 30,000-hectare development.


.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Consul general says businesses see potential in AI, biotech and other research opportunities in the 30,000-hectare development

Consul general says businesses see potential in AI, biotech and other research opportunities in the 30,000-hectare development