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SCMP Editorial
Editorial
SCMP Editorial

New strategy for the Northern Metropolis may be a game changer

The more agile corporate-led strategy, which balances government leadership with market mechanics, could be a blueprint for managing other projects

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The Hung Shui Kiu development area in the Northern Metropolis is seen on December 30, 2025. Photo: Sam Tsang
SCMP Editorial
Editorials represent the views of the South China Morning Post on the issues of the day.
Just before the new year, Hong Kong’s government unveiled details for a more agile, corporate-led strategy to accelerate development of the Northern Metropolis. It could be a game changer for a project that the city needs to ensure its future prosperity. Officials are setting up a dedicated firm to run an industrial estate in the area. The non-statutory Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company would be a departure from typical public-private partnerships. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said on December 29, it would have a board including senior officials, blending government authority with commercial flexibility.

City leader John Lee Ka-chiu announced plans to set up the company in his policy address last year. The chief executive has also stressed the need for faster progress on the Northern Metropolis plan, which aims to turn 30,000 hectares along the border with mainland China into a hub for innovation and technology, housing and a university town.

Linn said the new company would aim to “achieve financial self-sufficiency”, eliminating the need for regular capital injections from the government.

In acknowledgement of soft market sentiment, authorities are extending the tender period to six months. Successful bidders will also only need to pay 25 per cent of the land premium upfront, with the rest deferred over three years.

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