On August 6, a forum on Guangdong's role in high-quality development of the GBA kicked off with applause from audiences.

“The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area should attract and nurture more innovative talents, and also establish a supportive environment for exploration and innovation,” said Liu Shijin, the deputy director of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and former deputy director of Development Research Center of the State Council.

The forum, which is directed by the GBA Affairs Office of Guangdong and hosted by the Nanfang Media Group Co., Ltd, marks significant progress in implementing the Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Representatives from government departments, enterprises and business associations from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao attended the meeting.

During the event, a national think tank presented a series of constructive suggestions. “To establish an international science and technology innovation center, the Greater Bay Area should adhere to the core positioning of ‘innovation plus manufacturing’ and cultivate more Huawei-style enterprises,” said Liu.

One of the proposed policies includes creating new space for industries away from city centers as industrial development progresses. “The structural adjustments of cities inside metropolis circles should stimulate the reallocation of industrial space. When center cities focus on high-end service sectors with high added value and high cost, the surrounding towns should provide a supporting environment with lower cost and insert new momentum for high-quality development,” Liu added during the forum.

Forum organizers said that Guangdong needs to promote further development, take a closer look at the Free Trade Zone and build more pilot programs that demonstrate socialist values. “Guangdong has undertaken three major tasks of reform and opening up such as promoting the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, exploring the construction of the Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone, and building a pilot demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics in Shenzhen,” said former director of Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation (CAITEC), deputy director of China Society for World Trade Organization Studies Huo Jianguo.

Director of Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consulation Conference, former director of GuangDong Academy Of Social Science Wang Jun said that the government should make breakthroughs by reducing coordination costs, and promoting the implementation of the roadmap and outline of the Greater Bay Area.

“We’re expecting the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to become a first-class international bay area and build a number of world-class enterprises,” said Gu Huinan, general manager of the The GAC New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd.

Authors: Will, Li Jiaxing

Editor: Chris