A 53-member delegation of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council joined Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong on April 9 for an on-site inspection of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone. The 389-hectare park straddles the Lok Ma Chau (Hong Kong) and Futian (Shenzhen) border and is a flagship component of the Northern Metropolis development blueprint. Sun told reporters that two wet-lab buildings on the Hong Kong side were already 90 percent let, while construction of five additional R&D blocks would finish by year-end. He reaffirmed government plans to synchronise customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) procedures so that accredited researchers can “clear both borders in one go” using a single GBA Researcher Pass that is now in final policy drafting with Mainland authorities.
![Hong Kong Lawmakers Tour Hetao Innovation Zone to Accelerate Cross-Border Talent Flow]()
In parallel, organisations and individual researchers can streamline their travel paperwork through VisaHQ, which specialises in China visa processing and compliance advisory. The platform (https://www.visahq.com/china/) simplifies document preparation, tracks application status in real time, and offers concierge support—services that dovetail neatly with the forthcoming GBA Researcher Pass to ensure seamless entry once the pilot programme launches.
LegCo president Starry Lee said legislators would expedite funding approvals for cross-border infrastructure, including a dedicated pedestrian and autonomous-shuttle bridge slated for 2027. Once operational, the bridge will cut clearance times between the two sides to under five minutes, enabling daily commuting for up to 30,000 scientists and fintech professionals. For multinational R&D centres, Hetao offers land costs one-third those of core Hong Kong districts and preferential Corporate Income Tax capped at 15 percent for qualifying tech firms. Mobility teams should begin mapping talent rotation schemes that leverage Hong Kong’s Capital Investment Entrant Scheme and Guangdong’s new Foreigner’s Work Permit salary benchmarks, both of which were updated this quarter. The visit marks Hong Kong’s second high-profile tour of Northern Metropolis projects in a fortnight, signalling political consensus to speed up cross-border integration within the Greater Bay Area. Companies planning regional headquarters or lab space in Hetao should monitor forthcoming details of the GBA Researcher Pass and related e-Channel privileges, expected to be gazetted before the summer recess.
In parallel, organisations and individual researchers can streamline their travel paperwork through VisaHQ, which specialises in China visa processing and compliance advisory. The platform (https://www.visahq.com/china/) simplifies document preparation, tracks application status in real time, and offers concierge support—services that dovetail neatly with the forthcoming GBA Researcher Pass to ensure seamless entry once the pilot programme launches.
LegCo president Starry Lee said legislators would expedite funding approvals for cross-border infrastructure, including a dedicated pedestrian and autonomous-shuttle bridge slated for 2027. Once operational, the bridge will cut clearance times between the two sides to under five minutes, enabling daily commuting for up to 30,000 scientists and fintech professionals. For multinational R&D centres, Hetao offers land costs one-third those of core Hong Kong districts and preferential Corporate Income Tax capped at 15 percent for qualifying tech firms. Mobility teams should begin mapping talent rotation schemes that leverage Hong Kong’s Capital Investment Entrant Scheme and Guangdong’s new Foreigner’s Work Permit salary benchmarks, both of which were updated this quarter. The visit marks Hong Kong’s second high-profile tour of Northern Metropolis projects in a fortnight, signalling political consensus to speed up cross-border integration within the Greater Bay Area. Companies planning regional headquarters or lab space in Hetao should monitor forthcoming details of the GBA Researcher Pass and related e-Channel privileges, expected to be gazetted before the summer recess.
