Sporting events key to GBA integration

Tony Yue Kwok-leung, a member of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC and chairman of the Hong Kong China Table Tennis Association, emphasized the notable enhancement of integration between Hong Kong and other GBA cities in recent years.

He pointed out that this progress has been driven by the completion of transportation infrastructure, effectively turning the idea of a "one-hour living circle" between Hong Kong and the mainland GBA cities into a practical and achievable reality.

"Every weekend or holiday, many Hong Kong residents travel to Shenzhen and other GBA cities for shopping and leisure," he said.

"Children in Hong Kong often accompany their parents to Shenzhen for weekend trips, gaining early exposure to the GBA. Additionally, there are numerous school exchanges and collaborative initiatives across the region."

At this point, he emphasized that hosting the 15th National Games presents a valuable opportunity to enhance mutual understanding within the GBA and explore new avenues for cooperation.

"I hope the Games will serve as a lasting platform for collaboration. In the future, GBA cities could jointly host concerts and other cultural events," Yue added.

Johnny Ng Kit-chong, a CPPCC member, highlighted the Games' potential to create volunteer opportunities, fostering deeper exchanges among GBA youth.

"Sports can enhance people's sense of national identity and patriotism. Therefore, we should strive to encourage widespread participation in sports among the youth of Hong Kong and Macao," said Andy Sze Wei-hung, a CPPCC member and president of the Basketball Association of Hong Kong, China.

He emphasized leveraging the Games to establish a "Greater Bay Area Athlete Identity Recognition System", enabling athletes to compete seamlessly across GBA cities. Additionally, he proposed expediting the approval process for athletes from Hong Kong and Macao to participate in domestic and international competitions, such as a "Greater Bay Area Joint Team", while integrating young sporting talent from both special administrative regions into the national youth training system for further development.

Sze also highlighted the economic potential of integrating and reforming the sports industry in the GBA.

He noted that the GBA sports industry, currently valued at over 700 billion yuan ($96.4 million), is expected to rapidly expand to more than 1 trillion yuan.

This growth will serve as a powerful driver for investment, infrastructure development, employment and the overall business environment, further solidifying the region's economic momentum, he said.

xingwen@chinadaily.com.cn