[2023/09/14] [Gathering Over a Thousand Elites from 20 Countries and Regions] The First “Business Conference on Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development” Kicks Off

[Gathering Over a Thousand Elites from 20 Countries and Regions] The First “Business Conference on Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development” Kicks Off

Jointly hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, and the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, the First “Business Conference on Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development” (Business Conference) kicked off today (14 September). More than 1,000 delegates of governments, industries, academia and research sector (government officials, business elites, experts and researchers) coming from 20 countries and regions attended the Business Conference to share their insights into the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), and team up to create a friendly environment for the GBA business development.

At the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Chief Executive of the Macao SAR Ho Iat Seng, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR John Lee Ka Chiu, Deputy Secretary General of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province Guo Yile, Member of the CPC Leadership Group of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) Guo Lanfeng, and Vice Minister of Commerce of the PRC Guo Tingting, delivered speeches (on-site or via video link). President of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Ren Hongbin officiated at the opening ceremony.

Macao fully leveraging the role as a “Domestic Synergy and International Networking” platform

Macao Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng said in his speech, whilst actively implementing the development positioning of “One Centre, One Platform, One Base”, pragmatically promoting the “1+4” appropriately diversified development strategy, and facilitating high-quality development of the integrated tourism and leisure industry, Macao is vigorously developing the key industries such as big health (traditional Chinese medicine), modern finance, high technology, MICE commerce, culture and sports, optimising the industrial layout, and assisting in the new development of the GBA. As one of the GBA core cities, Macao has advantages such as an international free port, low taxation, and vast economic and trade network. With a harmonious social environment, Macao has been fully leveraging its role as a “Domestic Synergy International Networking” platform.

Ho Iat Seng added that in the future, the governments of Guangdong and Macao will enhance the co-operation, continuously improve the innovative Guangdong-Macao system of joint discussion, joint development, joint management and result-sharing, pro-actively promote the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Co-operation Zone in Hengqin (Co-operation Zone), and strive to build the Co-operation Zone into a hot spot for the GBA development. With an excellent environment for business and living, the GBA has huge market potential. It is hoped that the participating guests will invest in Macao and enjoy living here, working together to build the GBA into a major hub for the country’s innovative “dual circulation” economic development pattern.

Multiple measures to integrate into joint building of a platform for business co-operation and development in Greater Bay Area

The Business Conference is themed “Greater Bay Area, Farsighted Strategy, Extensive Exchange, and Great Development”. At the opening ceremony, CCPIT President Ren Hongbin released the Macao Initiative on Further Promotion of International Business Co-operation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area; Later, the inauguration ceremony of the China Maritime Arbitration Commission – Greater Bay Area Arbitration Centre (South China Sub-commission) was held. Located in Guangzhou of Guangdong Province, the Centre was established by the China Maritime Arbitration Commission to assist in providing foreign-related legal services and improving business environment in Guangdong Province, Guangzhou City and the GBA, facilitating the GBA’s and the country’s maritime infrastructure development.

After the opening ceremony, a plenary meeting was held under the theme of “Jointly Building the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to Develop an Open World Economy”, through which the keynote speakers shared their views and gave suggestions on the industrial development, investment opportunities, needs for talent and other hot topics in the GBA.

In the afternoon, four parallel symposiums were launched with the themes of “Leading the Development of Innovation and Technology Industries with Digital Economy”, “Green Finance Sustaining the Development of the Greater Bay Area”, “Aligning with International Economic and Trade Standards to Enhance Market Integration”, and “Innovative Development Path of Cultural Tourism and MICE Industries, Sharing the Cultural Greater Bay Area”. The keynote speakers shared their views on hot topics of domestic and overseas business sectors, such as digital economy, green finance, and interconnectivity in the GBA, and discussed on jointly exploring opportunities for development.

According to the attendees, this Business Conference is conducive to further deepening their understanding of the GBA’s latest developments and building a platform for domestic and overseas business sectors to participate in the GBA development. Moreover, the hosting of the First Business Conference in Macao has provided domestic and overseas business sectors with a further understanding of Macao’s distinctive role and advantages, bringing about co-operation opportunities for Macao’s appropriate economic diversification as well as enterprises in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.

Tomorrow (15 Sept), a promotion conference for the GBA cities will be held during the Business Conference, through which Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will introduce their respective business environment and advantages, and the relevant project and business matching will be conducted. Tomorrow afternoon, the organisers will arrange the attendees to visit the Co-operation Zone, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks, and the Demonstration Zone of Comprehensive Co-operation Among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in Nansha, Guangzhou, as well as the Macao city.

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