Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Outline Development Plan) released
The Central Government ( China) released the Outline Development Plan on Februray 18, 2019. It sets out the directions guiding the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Greater Bay Area).
The Greater Bay Area covers nine cities in the Guangdong Province, namely Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing, as well as the two Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao.
In the Outline Development Plan ( a 59 page document), Hong Kong, Macao, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are identified as core cities, as well as core engines for driving regional development. The four cities will leverage their comparative advantages and strengthen the radiating effect in leading the development of nearby regions.
A Government spokesman said, “The development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is a national strategy personally devised, personally planned and personally driven by President Xi Jinping. It is a key development strategy in the country’s reform and opening up in the new era. The development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is not only a new attempt to break new ground in the country’s pursuit of opening up on all fronts in a new era, but also a further step in taking forward the implementation of ‘one country, two systems’.
The objectives of the plan – via deeper co-operation of Guangdong, Hong Kong & Macao – are “to promote co-ordinated economic development in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), leverage the complementary advantages of them and develop an international first class area for living,working and travelling,” the spokesperson continued.
The Chief Executive, the Honorable Mrs Carrie Lam,welcomed the plan and expressed gratitude to the Central Government for placing importance on the views of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government in the course of formulating the Outline Development Plan.
A Government spokesperson added ” under ‘one country, two systems’, Hong Kong enjoys unique dual advantages. On the one hand, Hong Kong is part of China; on the other hand, our economic, legal and social systems are different from those of the Mainland. As a highly open and international city, Hong Kong can extend its international connections and experiences to the Mainland and help bring in foreign investments. Hong Kong can also join hands with Mainland enterprises to develop overseas markets and explore development opportunities, thereby enhancing economic development on the Mainland.”
“The Hong Kong SAR Government will fully seize the opportunities brought about by the development of the Greater Bay Area, integrate the needs of the country with the strengths of Hong Kong and fully leverage the market-driven mechanism, enabling Hong Kong to enjoy brighter development prospects amid its integration into the overall development of the country.”
To view the English translation of the plan:
https://www.bayarea.gov.hk/filemanager/en/share/pdf/Outline_Development_Plan.pdf
Source: HKSAR Government