China's State Council has released a plan to boost the high-quality development of the Chinese-mainland part of a sci-tech innovation cooperation zone jointly developed by the southern tech hub Shenzhen and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

According to the plan, the Shenzhen section of the Hetao zone for science and technology innovation cooperation will seek coordinated development with the section in the HKSAR, the two complementing each other with their respective strengths, making the cooperation zone a key engine for the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

By 2025, an efficient mechanism will be basically established to support the scientific and technological innovation cooperation between the two regions, the plan states, while the reconstruction of the Huanggang Control Point will be completed and customs clearance procedures will be realized.

The flow of factors, the chain of sci-tech innovation and the exchange of personnel between the two sections will be unimpeded, says the plan, which also expects the Shenzhen section to attract a number of lab clusters, research centers, and research and development centers of top firms, delivering key achievements through collaboration with the HKSAR.

By 2035, the Shenzhen section is expected to become a world-class research hub that enjoys a free and orderly cross-border flow of innovation factors, solidly supporting the development of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao sci-tech innovation corridor.

To this end, efforts will be made to coordinate with the HKSAR on promoting global sci-tech innovation, and to build an internationally competitive industrial base for the piloting and application of scientific achievements.

The plan also pledges to establish an internationalized scientific and technological innovation mechanism, as well as a platform to pool global wisdom and boost international exchange and cooperation.