China’s Greater Bay Area ramps up economic integration and coordination with promising prospects: CPPCC spokesperson

China’s Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) now is accelerating the economic integration and coordination with surrounding regions as the area has become one of the most promising growth poles of the worlds. 

As of now, the economic aggregate of the GBA has surpassed 13 trillion yuan ($1.83 trillion), as its patent ability has topped among global four bay areas, said Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the second session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee. 

Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on February 18, 2019, issued the outline development plan for the GBA. In the past five years, the GBA has become one of the most open and economically dynamic areas in China, which was planned to be fostered as a leading region for Chinese path to civilization and high-quality development, said Liu.  

CPPCC has been paying attention to the economic development of Hong Kong and Macao basing on the master development plan of the GBA, including promoting regional integrated development and policy coordination. 

The construction of multiple cooperation zones such as Hengqin, Qianhai and Nansha was highlighted to support the master plan, and the CPPCC will further accelerated the connectivity of infrastructure and policy in the region, Liu noted.  

During the 2024 Spring Festival holidays, people in Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao made a total of 5.01 million of cross-boundary trips, and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge facilitated record volume of passenger and vehicle.  

Data from Hong Kong tourism authority showed that the occupancy of Hong Kong’s hotel crossed 80 percent during the holiday, indicated increasing connectivity among peoples in the GBA and integrated development trend, said Liu.  

China’s central government announced on February 23 this year to expand the Individual Visit Scheme to Qingdao in East China’s Shandong Province and Xi'an in Northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, which allowed solo travel of residents from the two cities to Hong Kong from March 3, further uplift personnel flow and release consumption potential.