Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu delivers a keynote speech at the Greater Bay Area Conference 2023 in Hong Kong on Nov 22, 2023. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong, as a superconnector and a super value-adder, is well poised to play a crucial role in furthering cooperation between the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area of China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, both of which are among the world’s most economically vibrant regions, prominent political and business leaders said on Wednesday at the Greater Bay Area Conference 2023.

This year’s conference, co-hosted by China Daily and Hong Kong Coalition, was themed “When GBA Meets ASEAN — One Heart and One Mind”, and explored the emerging opportunities in the two regions. It comprised three panel discussions focusing on green finance, the integration of green technology into daily life, and the preservation of art and culture for sustainable tourism.

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The hybrid conference, with both online and in-person participation brought together hundreds of distinguished guests, including government officials, industry and business leaders, academics and representatives of various sectors.

In a keynote address, Leung Chunying, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is competitive in many aspects, and cities in Guangdong.

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, China Daily, Qu Yingpu gives welcoming remarks at Greater Bay Area Conference 2023 in Hong Kong on Nov 22, 2023. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Qu Ying Pu said the GBA is a vital part of China’s modernization journey, and ASEAN’s deeper involvement in the area will help build an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future

province and the ASEAN member states stand to benefit greatly by leveraging the SAR’s pivotal role as a superconnector.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said that Hong Kong’s strengths make the city not only a “super connector” but also a “super value-adder” for the Belt and Road regions, including ASEAN.

Lee added that Hong Kong can facilitate people-to-people exchanges, promote green finance and financial technology initiatives, and foster cooperation in public services between the GBA and ASEAN.

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When the GBA meets ASEAN with one heart and one mind, they can surely forge a promising future for their peoples and economies, he said.

Qu Yingpu, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily Group, said that through the successful implementation of numerous collaborative projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, the ASEAN member states have witnessed remarkable progress in terms of infrastructure development and social well-being.

The English-language newspaper’s gathering in the Asian financial hub offered a snapshot of the increasingly close relations between China and ASEAN — which have been each other’s largest trading partners for three consecutive years.

Projects such as the China-Laos Railway and the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway are telling examples of pieces of an increasingly complicated jigsaw of infrastructure linking economies. Others include the construction of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) — the world’s largest free-trade deal, among 15 Asia-Pacific countries including 10 ASEAN member states.

(Front row, fourth from left) Vice-Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Leung Chun-ying; (front row, third from left) Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and (front row, second from left) Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of China Daily Qu Yingpu pose for a group photo with delegates at Greater Bay Area Conference 2023 in Hong Kong on Nov 22, 2023. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

The GBA is a vital part of China’s modernization journey, and ASEAN’s deeper involvement in the area will help build an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future, Qu said.

Hou Yanqi said she is confident that the peoples of the two regions will have a bright future in interdependence, connection and integration, given the deepening trade partnership and complementary development advantages

Jane Lee Ching-yee, deputy secretary-general of Hong Kong Coalition, said that in order to ensure the continuous success of the China-ASEAN partnership, it is crucial for Hong Kong, as a reputable superconnector, to effectively link the GBA with ASEAN, generating substantial benefits for both regions.

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Li Yongsheng, acting commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR, said that with the strong support of the motherland and its close connections with the world, Hong Kong can play at least four roles — a facilitator of trade and investment, a promoter of regional connectivity, the spearhead of innovative cooperation and a contributor to people-to-people bonds — in strengthening cooperation between the GBA, and even the whole of China, and ASEAN.

“At present, the GBA is developing at a fast pace. Various factors within this region are deeply integrated, and the comprehensive advantages of the bay area are gradually being released,” Li said.

Since Hong Kong “is now moving towards greater stability and prosperity”, it has much to contribute to the development of the GBA and the BRI, he added. 

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Guests listen intently to the welcome speech by Jane Lee Ching-yee, deputy secretary-general of the Hong Kong Coalition — co-organizer of Wednesday’s Greater Bay Area Conference 2023. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Hou Yanqi, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to ASEAN, said that China-ASEAN cooperation has become a shining example of the success and robustness of regional cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. “China and ASEAN share a close affinity, the GBA is even closer to ASEAN in terms of geographical proximity, ethnicity and cultural ties,” Hou said, adding that the city cluster is endowed with unique advantages in terms of location, policy and industry, and has an integrated transportation network of sea, land, air and railways.

Attendees to the Greater Bay Area Conference 2023 on Wednesday enjoy engaging in dialogues and reading China Daily Hong Kong newspapers. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

Attendees to the Greater Bay Area Conference 2023 on Wednesday enjoy engaging in dialogues and reading China Daily Hong Kong newspapers. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

Hou told the conference that the cooperation between the GBA and ASEAN has a solid foundation, and said she is confident that the peoples of the two regions will have a bright future in interdependence, connection and integration, given the deepening trade partnership and complementary development advantages.

Pak Sokhom, secretary of state (deputy minister) of Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism, said the GBA conference provides a golden platform for participants to expand strategic tourism partnerships, and is of utmost importance in stimulating tourism growth.