The country’s top political advisory body signaled strong support for deepening ties among cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), and pledged to help Hong Kong and Macao achieve better development by integrating them into the overall national strategy.

Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks at a news conference on Monday.

2024 marked the 25th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland, and the development of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin achieved new progress, Liu said.

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“Hong Kong’s integration into the country’s overall development continues to deepen and becomes more substantial. The high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area is constantly enriching the practice of ‘one country, two systems’ (guiding principle),” he said.

During the Spring Festival, Hong Kong and Macao residents made more than 2.6 million visits to the mainland. Last year, mainland visitors made 34 million trips to Hong Kong and nearly 24.5 million trips to Macao, representing a year-on-year growth of about 27 percent and 29 percent respectively, he said.

He also said the passenger and vehicle flow through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge set new records in 2024, while the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link and the Huangmao Sea Channel Bridge were completed and opened to traffic.

A series of measures benefiting residents and businesses have been carried out, making the flow of personnel, goods, capital, data, and other factors more efficient and convenient, Liu said. “Cross-border direct ambulances in the Greater Bay Area are now transporting patients on a point-to-point basis,” he added.

Liu highlighted the contributions of CPPCC National Committee members from the two special administrative regions, saying, “More than 230 Hong Kong and Macao members have played an active role in the country’s economic and social development and the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao.”

They visited businesses, associations and universities, conducted research in mainland provinces and cities, while engaging in in-depth discussions on topics such as leveraging the role of Hong Kong and Macao in building a new open economic system at a higher level.

“They have offered advice in areas including financial trade, technological innovation, and business environment,” Liu said.

READ MORE: Cooperation efforts in GBA development herald new growth points for HK

He said the CPPCC National Committee has conducted in-depth work to promote Hong Kong and Macao’s integration into the national development.

The top political advisory body has provided suggestions on building the Greater Bay Area into an international technology and innovation hub, helping to promote technological cooperation, innovation resource flow, and international talent recruitment across the region.

According to the Guangdong provincial government website, the Greater Bay Area’s total economic output surpassed 14 trillion yuan ($1.92 trillion) in 2023, continuing its steady growth after exceeding 13 trillion yuan in 2022.

Contact the writer at tianyuanzhang@chinadailyhk.com