OFFICIALS from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao on Thursday pledged to capitalize on their advantages to contribute to the Greater Bay Area development at a symposium on the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Carrie Lam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said that the Greater Bay Area is an enormous market with a population of 70 million and a gross domestic product of US$1.5 trillion.

As one of the most open and economically vibrant regions in China, the Greater Bay Area is well placed to give new impetus to the development of Hong Kong, providing the people of Hong Kong, especially young people, with new horizons and new opportunities for developing their career, she said.

Lam emphasized that the HKSAR Government’s future work focuses include consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s status as an international financial, transportation and trade center as well as an international aviation hub; developing an international innovation and technology hub; expanding the scope of development for sectors in which Hong Kong’s strengths lie; strengthening infrastructural connectivity; and fostering youth innovation and entrepreneurship.

Lin Nianxiu, deputy chairman of the Office of the Leading Group for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, said that the Greater Bay Area development is an important element of the country’s development as a whole, and the building of the Greater Bay Area has an important significance in realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Lin said that the Greater Bay Area development will further enhance the implementation of “one country, two systems” principle, allow promotion of higher-quality opening up and reform, and provide new solutions to bottleneck issues faced by the three places.

Governor of Guangdong Province Ma Xingrui said that the Greater Bay Area development is a great opportunity for Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. Guangdong will seize this opportunity and push forward Greater Bay Area development with quality and to a much higher level, and will continue to lead at the forefront and act as an important window for the country’s development.

Chui Sai On, chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), said that Macao, as a core city leading Greater Bay Area development, is proactively deploying resources for the efforts to accommodate the city-cluster initiative.

In order to boost the development of science and technology, the Macao SAR Government will double its efforts in supporting development of the science and technology sector as well as other innovation-focused industries, he said.

The symposium was co-organized by the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, with more than 800 people from different circles in attendance.

On Monday, China unveiled the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

(Xinhua)