HK, Macao urged to actively join Bay Area devt

Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions are urged to timely grasp opportunities provided by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and actively integrate themselves into the country's overall development, said Wang Guoqing, spokesman of the country's top political advisory body, on Friday.

Wang revealed that the development plan for the Bay Area has already been submitted for approval and will be made public soon.

Wang made the appeal during the first news conference of the annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which will commence March 3.

He said Hong Kong should take full advantage of the great opportunities to further consolidate and promote its international status in finance, shipping, trade and aviation.

The city should also strengthen its position as a global hub for cross-border renminbi business, international asset management and risk management, Wang said.

Besides, Hong Kong needs to fully promote its innovation and technology industry and nurture emerging industries, Wang said. He also called on the city to build an international law and dispute resolution service center in the Asia-Pacific region to promote itself into an international metropolis with greater competitiveness, he added.

Meanwhile, Wang also urged the Macao SAR to also make full use of the opportunities provided by the Bay Area, concentrating on upgrading itself to a global tourism and recreation center, as well as a key platform for business cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

In addition, the Macao SAR government should also make efforts to moderately diversify its own economy, and build itself as a base for global cultural cooperation and exchange, Wang said.

Wang believed topics related to the Bay Area would be of big interest to CPPCC members from the Hong Kong and Macao SARs, and they would put forward a series of suggestions over the plan.

The first session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), and the first session of the 13th National Committee of the CPPCC, will open March 5 and March 3, respectively.