The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in China comprises two Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao, and nine cities including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, and Zhaoqing in Guangdong Province with a total land area of 56 000 square kilometres. The total population in the GBA is over 87 million and the GDP is US$1.97 trillion in 2024. China’s objectives of setting up the GBA are to: 1. strengthen the cooperation amongst Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, 2. promote coordinated regional economic development, and 3. facilitate in-depth integration within the Pearl River Delta region, with the aim of building a world-class bay area for people to live, work and travel.
This special issue brings together six diverse yet interconnected articles that collectively illuminate the multifaceted development of the GBA as it strives to become a world-class hub for finance, innovation, and technology. The articles explore this grand ambition through various critical lenses: from foundational analyses of financial integration, innovation potential, and regulatory challenges, to in-depth examinations of sector-specific cross-border coordination in healthcare, smart city implementation, urban planning, and the crucial social dimension of gender issue in academia. Together, they paint a comprehensive picture of the GBA’s unique experiment in leveraging the “One Country, Two Systems” principle to foster regional synergy, while also candidly addressing the persistent disparities and institutional hurdles that must be overcome to achieve truly integrated and sustainable development.
The first article “Can China develop the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area into a sustainable innovation technology and finance hub?” by Peter K.W. Fong and Alice Y.C. Te examine the GBA’s potential to become a world-class finance, innovation and technology hub. After evaluation of the policy measures and implementation challenges, a comparative review of two cases of Hong Kong and Shenzhen, as well as a comparison with Tokyo, New York, and San Francisco Bay Areas were conducted. The findings highlight significant achievements in sustainable innovation, driven by strong policy support for R&D investment and cross-border collaboration initiatives. However, there are challenges, including regulatory harmonisation and economic disparities amongst the GBA cities. Hong Kong’s role as a global financial centre and international gateway contrasts with Shenzhen’s strengths in high-tech industries, advanced manufacturing, and sustainable urban development. Deeper government-community collaboration is essential to ensure long-term policy coherence, foster collaborative governance, and promote inclusive growth. Ultimately, such coordinated efforts are critical for securing the GBA’s position as a 21st-century leader in finance, technology, and sustainability.
The second article “Cross-border healthcare: analyzing the phenomenon of Hong Kong residents seeking care in the Greater Bay Area in Mainland China” by Peter P. Yuen and Simon T.Y. Cheung critically examines the increasing trend of Hong Kong residents seeking medical services in the GBA, with particular focus on three key areas: dental care, long-term care, and expensive pharmaceuticals. Using a push-pull framework, the study identifies key drivers — such as high costs, long waiting times, and inadequate public health services in Hong Kong — that push patients toward more affordable and accessible healthcare options in cities such as Shenzhen and Guangzhou. The research highlights systemic challenges in Hong Kong’s healthcare system, including healthcare financing gaps and capacity constraints exacerbated by an aging population and growing demand for innovative treatments. The authors advocate for urgent policy reforms to improve healthcare delivery and accessibility, while also emphasising the potential for cross-border integration within the GBA. They argue that coordinated efforts could enhance health outcomes, optimise resource allocation, and position the region as a leading healthcare hub.
In the third article “The network role of China’s state banks in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area”, David R. Meyer argues that the network structures and relations of China’s state banks position them as pivotal actors in fostering the integration of Hong Kong and the GBA with the global economy, aligning with the Chinese government’s objective to develop the GBA into a leading world region. Utilising social network theory, the study examines these banks’ intra- and inter-organisational ties by analysing websites of financial firms and government entities, while also interpreting their financial activities in relation to foreign banks and the GBA business through news articles. The findings reveal how state banks network with each other and foreign financial firms in Hong Kong, and how their network relations within the GBA enhance their role in global economic integration. This research contributes to financial geography and related literature by applying social network theory to demonstrate how these previously understudied network dynamics are crucial for connecting Hong Kong and the GBA to global markets.
The fourth article “Examining smart city implementation models in Hong Kong, Macao, and Shenzhen: an analytical review” by Yi Ma, Roger C.K. Chan, and Kishan Datta Bhatta examine the smart city implementation models (SCIMs) across Hong Kong, Macao, and Shenzhen within the GBA. Applying a comparative, actor-focused political-economic framework, the study assesses how state-market-community relationships shape project-level outcomes under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle. The analysis identifies four distinct SCIMs, revealing proactive government support and place-specific strategies tailored to each city’s unique socio-economic context. Key findings highlight the critical role of mega-technology firms and the influence of local institutional conditions in driving smart city development. The study underscores the importance of contextual factors — such as regulatory frameworks, economic structures, and community engagement — in shaping successful smart city pathways. By comparing these models, the authors provide valuable insights for policymakers and urban planners aiming to optimise collaborative governance and harness technological innovation for sustainable urban development in the GBA and beyond.
In the fifth article “Strategies for strengthening cross-border urban planning coordination between Hengqin, Zhuhai, and Macao Special Administrative Region, China”, Jing Song Yang, Bin Li, and Jing Yang analyse the challenges and strategies for cross-border urban planning coordination between Hengqin and Macao under the “One Country, Two Systems” framework, aiming to foster regional integration within the GBA. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach that includes policy analysis, field research (2021-2024), and interviews with planners, commuters, and citizens, the study identifies significant social, cultural, and institutional differences that hinder communication and create disparities in planning objectives, priorities, and technical standards. These divergences have led to contradictory practices, especially in transportation and public facilities. The authors propose establishing a formal coordination mechanism and fostering multi-level communication to address these challenges, leveraging the unique policy framework to enhance practical collaboration and bridge a critical gap in cross-border planning research and implementation.
The sixth article “Striking the balance between academic profession and family: a study of female academics in universities in the Greater Bay Area” by Lin Luo and Yanju Shao examines the experiences and strategies of twenty female academics balancing academic careers and motherhood. The study identifies distinct challenges based on career track: those on the professoriate tracks emphasized persisting in professional pursuits, undertaking research responsibilities, and achieving work-family balance, while those on the teaching track focused on struggling for a PhD degree, workplace survival, and seeking work-family balance. A supportive family structure was crucial for both groups in managing dual roles of academic careers and motherhood. This research provides a collective portrait of academic mothers in the GBA’s higher education institutions, highlighting their challenges and strategies, and offers pragmatic advices for policymakers and higher education institutions to improve workplace conditions for female academics.
We wish to thank all the authors for contributing their papers and the anonymous reviewers for their critical but constructive comments in helping the authors to improve their papers.
Roger C.K. Chan, Peter K.W. Fong and Alice Y.C. Te
Guest Editors
