The rise of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

In 2022, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) has been added into China's government work report for the sixth consecutive year. During these six years, the cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao has been deepening, and the GBA is emerging as a world-class bay area.

How did we build a world-class bay area and city cluster? The GBA has provided us with answers through its rich practices.

In July 1979, the Shekou industrial zone began construction in Shenzhen, which fired the "first shot" in China's reform and opening-up strategy. In these years, Shenzhen has comprehensively promoted the construction of a pilot demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Meanwhile, Guangzhou, known as the "Millennium Business Capital" in China, is attracting more global investors due to its improved investment environment; many enterprises in advanced manufacturing industry, such as Gree and Midea, have risen in the GBA; Huawei, Tencent, DJI and other companies are constantly exploring in the field of unmanned systems.

The connection of rules and mechanisms between Hong Kong and Macao SARs and Guangdong has been further tightened. Guangdong carried out the Wan Qu Tong Initiative (the Greater Bay Area Connectivity Initiative), and pilots of cross-border wealth management business, the first catalogue of Greater Bay Area standards, and the first bar exam for Greater Bay Area were launched. Infrastructure connectivity and "Greater Bay Area on Rail" was accelerated and Qingmao Checkpoint, a new corridor between Guangdong and Macao SAR, was officially opened.

Nowadays, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge connects both sides of the Pearl River Estuary; innovation and entrepreneurship bases are all over the GBA; Hengqin and Qianhai have become new hot spots for the further and ongoing development of the GBA... Under the impact of changes unseen in a hundred years, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will further cooperate to embrace greater opportunities.