Greater Bay Area can be a boon for HK

Hong Kong has played a significant role in the Chinese mainland's economic development. When the mainland launched reform and opening-up four decades ago, Hong Kong merchants, with roots in Guangdong province, took the lead in investing in mainland projects, especially those in Guangdong. Which laid a solid foundation for Guangdong to play a pioneering role as a manufacturing base and lead the mainland's fast-paced economic and social development.

Statistics show Hong Kong has been the largest source of overseas investment for the mainland since the launch of reform and opening-up. Long-term investment through Hong Kong accounts for about 70 percent of the mainland's overseas investment. Hong Kong has also been a major destination for mainland enterprises seeking to "go global". In fact, the first destination for about 70 percent of mainland service companies' overseas investment is Hong Kong.

And thanks to its proximity to Hong Kong, Guangdong's imports and exports, which account for more than 25 percent of the mainland's total, increased from $1.6 billion in 1978 to more than $1 trillion in 2018.