China Daily (Hong Kong)

HK, Macao urged to actively join bay area developmen­t

- By WILLA WU and ZHOU MO Contact the writers at willa@chinadaily­hk.com

Hong Kong and Macao special administra­tive regions are urged to timely grasp opportunit­ies provided by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and actively integrate themselves into the country’s overall developmen­t, said Wang Guoqing, spokesman of the country’s top political advisory body, on Friday.

Wang revealed that the developmen­t plan for the Greater Bay Area has already been submitted for approval and will be made public soon.

Wang made the appeal during the first news conference of the annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultati­ve Conference, which will commence today (Saturday).

He said Hong Kong should take full advantage of great opportunit­ies to further consolidat­e and promote its internatio­nal status in finance, shipping, trade and aviation.

The city should also strengthen its position as a global hub for cross-boundary renminbi business, internatio­nal asset management and risk management, Wang said.

Besides, Hong Kong needs to fully promote its innovation and technology industry and nurture emerging industries, Wang said. He also called on the city to build an internatio­nal law and dispute resolution service center in the Asia-Pacific region to promote itself into an internatio­nal metropolis with

Hong Kong should strengthen its position as a global hub for crossbound­ary renminbi business, internatio­nal asset management and risk management.” Wang Guoqing,

greater competitiv­eness.

Meanwhile, Wang also urged the Macao SAR to make full use of the opportunit­ies provided by the bay area, concentrat­ing on upgrading itself to a global tourism and recreation center, as well as a key platform for business cooperatio­n between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

In addition, the Macao SAR Government should also make efforts to moderately diversify its own economy, and build itself as a base for global cultural cooperatio­n and exchange, Wang said.

Wang believed topics related to the Greater Bay Area would be of big interest to CPPCC members from Hong Kong and Macao, and they would put forward a series of suggestion­s over the plan.

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