Hong Kong Courts Top Mainland Universities for New Higher-Education Hub
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Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee (left) meets with Qiu Yong, party chief of Tsinghua University on March 4 in Beijing. Photo: Hong Kong Chief Executive's Office
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government is accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis, with the highly anticipated Northern Metropolis University Town actively in the works.
On March 4, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee met with Qiu Yong, head of the Communist Party committee at Tsinghua University. Lee welcomed the university to bring its top-tier disciplines and courses to the university town to achieve synergistic development and support Hong Kong’s growth into an international higher-education hub.
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- The Hong Kong government is fast-tracking the Northern Metropolis University Town, reserving 90 hectares of land and allocating HK$10 billion ($1.28 billion) for campus development.
- Leading mainland universities like Tsinghua and Peking have shown interest in establishing research institutes or campuses in the Northern Metropolis, with invitations extended by Chief Executive John Lee.
- The region aims to attract global students and scholars, facilitating integration with Shenzhen and supporting Hong Kong’s ambition to be an international education hub.
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Who’s Who
- Sun Hung Kai Properties
- Sun Hung Kai Properties is represented by executive director Kwok Kai-fai. He is also a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. He recommended central government support for top mainland universities to establish branch campuses or research institutes in the Northern Metropolis, focusing on fields like fintech, robotics, and AI.
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What Happened When
- October 2023：
- The Hong Kong SAR government released the Northern Metropolis Action Agenda, dividing the region into four major zones.
- Dec. 16, 2025：
- Chief Executive John Lee met with He Guangcai, head of the Communist Party committee at Peking University, at the university’s faculty club by Weiming Lake, inviting Peking University to join the Northern Metropolis University Town. He Guangcai responded that Peking University has intentions to establish a research institute there in the future.
- 2025 Policy Address：
- John Lee proposed establishing a Northern Metropolis Development Committee chaired by himself and a University Town Planning and Construction Task Force led by the Chief Secretary for Administration.
- By 2026：
- About five hectares of university town land in Hung Shui Kiu will complete site formation in 2026.
- March 4, 2026：
- John Lee met with Qiu Yong, head of the Communist Party committee at Tsinghua University, inviting the university to bring its disciplines and courses to the Northern Metropolis University Town.
- March 4, 2026：
- Kwok Kai-fai (Sun Hung Kai Properties) stated he recommended the central government support mainland universities in establishing branch campuses, research institutes, or commercialization hubs in the Northern Metropolis.
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