Guangdong province will deepen reform, accelerate the development of a regional innovation community and improve rule alignment and institutional docking with the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions in the next few months, authorities said.
The province aims to pursue shared responsibilities, development and benefits for tasks related to science and technology, while facilitating the cross-border flow of innovation with greater efficiency, said Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Party secretary of Guangdong.
"Guangdong will join hands with Hong Kong and Macao to deepen sci-tech cooperation and fully advance the mutual reinforcement and dual growth of industries and technologies," he said.
Huang made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Greater Bay Area Science Forum in Guangzhou on Sunday.
"Guided by the sense of responsibility to take the lead, set an example and shoulder major responsibilities, Guangdong will join the new wave of artificial intelligence development, step up efforts to build the Greater Bay Area International Science and Technology Innovation Center and contribute to building a powerful country in science and technology," he said.
To this end, Guangdong is committed to opening its arms to embrace the world and cultivate open innovation, he added.
"Guangdong will embed itself in global innovation networks, take part in global sci-tech governance, offer more exchange platforms and deliver top-tier innovation support while sincerely inviting scientists, entrepreneurs and young talents worldwide to settle in Guangdong and the Greater Bay Area for research, entrepreneurship and personal growth," Huang said.
John Lee Ka-chiu, chief executive of Hong Kong, said the HK government is proactively aligning with the national 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) and has rolled out Hong Kong's first five-year plan, which aims to basically develop an international innovation and technology hub rooted in the GBA and radiating outward to connect the world after 2030.
Home to talents from home and abroad, Hong Kong features an internationalized and market-oriented business environment. It will continue to fully leverage its strength in linking the mainland with the world under the "one country, two systems" policy, he said.
Chief Executive of Macao Sam Hou-fai said global innovation is speeding ahead with breakthroughs in AI, biomedicine and other frontier fields reshaping industrial layouts and competition dynamics.
"Against this backdrop, the GBA — a strategic anchor for national sci-tech innovation — will undertake the critical task of attaining high-level sci-tech self-reliance and strength. It faces unprecedented opportunities for growth," he said.
The forum, jointly hosted by the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, features an opening ceremony and main forum in Guangzhou's Nansha district, alongside 15 sub-forums and 10 activities across the region.
