Hong Kong to develop Northern Metropolis high-tech hub

The Hong Kong government is proceeding with the “Northern Metropolis” project, an ambitious development plan designed to transform approximately one-third of the territory into a high-tech economic hub. Spanning 30,000 hectares, the project aims to create 650,000 jobs and provide housing for 2.5 million people. It is intended to deepen integration between Hong Kong, Macau, and nine mainland Chinese cities within the Greater Bay Area.

However, the development faces significant criticism from environmentalists and social NGOs. The Liber Research Community warns that the project will be destructive to local wildlife, wetlands, and farmland. At least 25 villages are expected to be demolished to make way for the new infrastructure. While government departments state they intend to integrate rural areas into the plan, they have indicated that many ancestral homes lack sufficient cultural significance to be preserved.