A top Hong Kong scholar has called on the special administrative region to bridge cultural and social differences with the mainland, in a bid to boost its waning competitiveness.

In a report published on Tuesday, Gui Qiangfang, president of the China Institute of City Competitiveness, said Hong Kong's comprehensive competitiveness, including social, environmental and cultural strength, has declined in recent years.

One of the major reasons for this decline is Hong Kong's cultural gap with the mainland, which resulted in the city not fully making use of preferential policies from the central government.