Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Non-Fiction 2020complete | Page 53

provincial-level administrative divisions and runs for 29,000 km, is set to reach 38,000 km by 2025.
Estimated at around 10 years later, the High Speed Rail will be expanding to all eleven cities of the GBA
and more mainland cities.
With improved connections between Mainland cities and the rest of the world, the ‘front shop, back
factory’ model of division of labour between Hong Kong and other GBA cities may no longer be fully
applicable, and a new mode of collaboration should be sought. We must bear in mind that the development
of the GBA is not at all a zero-sum relationship for the cities involved. Rather, cities within the GBA
should utilize their respective comparative advantages in producing certain goods or services to supplement
each other. For instance, some people asserted that with close ties with global cities like Hong Kong, Foshan
secured linkages to the rest of the world. As a result, the latter could focus on the development of skills and
capacity in specialized sectors, such as lighting and furniture manufacturing. Should this recommendation be
adopted the eleven GBA cities can strengthen their industrial upgrading and integration through the
utilization of complementary resources and connections. By achieving this goal, the development of the
GBA will enhance the overall competitiveness of the region, which in turn will contribute to the national
economic growth.
Being part of the GBA and through the collaboration process, Hong Kong may find a new direction for its
economy to develop as well.