Hu Chunhua, Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee, explained to the Chamber’s delegation in Guangdong that the province offers a wide range of investment and development prospects; and given Hong Kong’s great strengths in international trade and financial services, he hopes that the Chamber will continue to build bridges and promote even stronger industry links for the benefit of both regions.
Abreakthrough regarding the development of Lok Ma Chau Loop area was made earlier when the governments of Hong Kong and Shenzhen signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly develop the area into the “HK-SZ Innovation and Technology Park”. The project will create a key centre for collaboration on scientific research and also involves the construction of higher education institutions and a range of other facilities, all of which represent another milestone in cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong. In the wake of these new developments, the Chamber’s Chairman Jonathan Choi, soon after taking office, led a delegation of 30 Standing Committee members and Committee members to Guangzhou. The delegation visited the Member of the Political Bureau, Secretary of CPC Guangdong Committee Hu Chunhua, Acting Provincial Governor Ma Xingrui, and Secretary of CPC Guangzhou Municipal Committee Ren Xuefeng. They exchanged views on the strengthening of collaboration between Guangdong and Hong Kong and discussed issues such as the “Belt and Road” Initiative project.
Guangdong offers excellent investment prospects
Hu explained that the Guangdong economy is currently enjoying a stable and healthy level of growth, with the strategy of greater implementation of innovation to drive development proving particularly valuable. High-end manufacturing industries, robotic automated production, and the increasing use of Internet technology in all industries bringing new momentum to the development of the province’s economy and industries, as well as presenting a wide range of investment prospects. Given Hong Kong’s great strengths in international trade and financial services, Hu hopes that the Chamber will continue to build bridges and promote even stronger links between the two regions in all sectors. There have been close ties between Guangdong and Hong Kong since the introduction of the Reform and Opening-Up Policy in 1978, and as international conditions and the trade environment become ever more complex, Hu hopes to further strengthen these ties so the two regions can jointly open up new overseas markets for their mutual benefits.
We are stronger if we face the world together
Choi explained that collaboration between Guangdong and Hong Kong is the most vital element of Hong Kong’s cooperation with the Mainland, while the Guangdong Hong Kong Macau Greater Bay Area project will play a vital role in the future of regional development and has consistently been a focus for the Chamber. Hong Kong can leverage its strengths in modern service industries to build a platform of “bringing in and reaching out”, with particular regard to the Nansha, Qianhai and Hengqin areas of the Guangdong Free-Trade Zone. Under the framework of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), both regions should strengthen links in terms of both software and hardware, thereby promoting interconnection throughout the Guangdong Hong Kong Macau Greater Bay Area, and maximizing the regions’ collective strengths by working together.
Choi also noted that the new term of the Chamber Committee upheld the continuation of the work plan to “reach out to the world with roots in Hong Kong and backing from the Motherland”. In terms of engaging the world, the Chamber will cooperate in the implementation of China’s “Belt and Road” initiative to promote collaboration between Hong Kong and Mainland companies and leverage Hong Kong’s strengths in finance, trade and logistics to enable companies on both sides of the border to jointly reaching out. Guangdong and Hong Kong are not only key points on the “Maritime Silk Road”, but also vital hubs for accessing the ASEAN nations. The two sides can leverage each other’s advantages to strengthen cooperation in areas including finance, specialized services, technology, and cultural and creative industries, thereby playing a key role in implementing the “Belt and Road” project.
Transforming Guangzhou into a network hub city
The delegation also visited Secretary of CPC Guangzhou Municipal Committee Ren Xuefeng. Ren updated the delegation on the latest developments in the Guangzhou and Nansha Free Trade Zone, and on Guangzhou’s role as a network hub city, which is focused on building international hubs for airfreight, aviation and technological innovation, in order to improve the standard and effectiveness of the city’s development, boost competitiveness, and strengthen its role as an international hub.
Ren appealed to the Chamber and the Hong Kong businesses to seize the opportunities of the “Belt and Road” initiative and the Free Trade Pilot Zone to make the most of Hong Kong’s strengths in specialized business services and extensive international trade networks to promote closer links between Guangzhou and Hong Kong in terms of trade, technology, innovation, specialist talent and high-end services, in order to jointly drive the prosperity of both regions.
