Advisers urged to better promote Greater Bay Area

Political advisers should continue to pool their resources in promoting the collaborative development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and enrich the practice of "one country, two systems", the country's top political adviser said on Wednesday.

Wang Yang, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body, urged more understanding of the significance of cooperation in innovation in the Greater Bay Area from a strategic and overall perspective at a regular consultative meeting.

"We should adhere to the principle of 'one country', make good use of the benefits of the 'two systems', and maintain the foundation of stability," he said.

The central government launched an outline development plan for the Greater Bay Area in February last year. The blueprint lays out the vision for coordinated development of the 11-city cluster, which covers nine cities in southern Guangdong province, and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

The plan aims to build the region into a globally influential innovation and technology hub, and a world-class bay area.

Wang said greater efforts will be made to further promote reform and opening-up and institutional innovation, and remove bottlenecks and constraints that impede the free flow of innovation in the area.

"We will build the Greater Bay Area into an open platform for collaborative innovation and further enrich the practice of 'one country, two systems'," he said.

About 100 national political advisers and representatives of government agencies took part in the discussion on Wednesday in Beijing or by video link.

Their suggestions covered many aspects, including trademark standards, vocational qualifications, equal treatment for innovative enterprises and the construction of a development base for young entrepreneurs.

Tan Tieniu, a member of the CPPCC, said that while surveys show most Hong Kong residents are aware of the development of the Greater Bay Area, few know about it in great detail.

He said a more innovative approach should be adopted to help inform Hong Kong residents, especially young people, to create better understanding of the area and its broader prospects.

Chan Cheuk-hay, a member of the CPPCC from Hong Kong, said it should be made easier for young people from Hong Kong to study and work in cities in the Greater Bay Area.