On February 18, 2019, Chinese authorities unveiled the outline development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, aiming to develop the region into "a role model of high-quality development."
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. [Xinhua]
The plan was released by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council.
It has 11 chapters, namely the background of the plan, the overall requirements, the spatial layout, developing an international innovation and technology hub, expediting infrastructural connectivity, building a globally competitive modern industrial system, taking forward ecological conservation, developing a quality living circle for living, working and traveling, strengthening cooperation and jointly participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, jointly developing Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao cooperation platforms, and the implementation of the plan.
The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Greater Bay Area) consists of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR) as well as the municipalities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing in Guangdong Province (hereinafter referred to as “the nine Pearl River Delta (PRD) municipalities”).
Covering a total area of 56 000 km2, the Greater Bay Area had a combined population of approximately 70 million at the end of 2017 and its gross domestic product reached around 10 trillion yuan (1.48 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2017.
"As one of the most open and economically vibrant regions in China, the Greater Bay Area plays a significant strategic role in the overall development of the country," says the plan.
The development of the area is hailed not only as a new attempt to break new ground in pursuing opening up on all fronts in a new era, but also a further step in taking forward the practice of "one country, two systems."
The plan covers the period from now to 2022 in the immediate term and extends to 2035 in the long term.
Basic Principles
To be driven by innovation and led by reform; To coordinate development and plan holistically; To pursue green development and ecological conservation; To open up and cooperate and achieve a win-win outcome; To share the benefits of development and improve people’s livelihood; To adhere to “one country, two systems” and act in accordance with the law.
Strategic Positioning
The plan says the bay area will be turned into a vibrant world-class city cluster, a globally influential international innovation and technology hub, an important support pillar for the Belt and Road Initiative, a showcase for in-depth cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao, and a quality living circle for living, working and traveling.
Development Objectives
By 2022, the framework should essentially be formed for an international first-class bay area and world-class city cluster that is vibrant and highly innovative with an optimized industrial structure, a smooth flow of various factors and a pleasant ecological environment.
In the meantime, the combined strength of the Greater Bay Area should increase substantially, the cooperation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao should be deepened and broadened, and the internal driving forces for development should be further enhanced in the region.
By 2035, the Greater Bay Area should become an economic system and mode of development mainly supported by innovation, with its economic and technological strengths vastly increased and its international competitiveness and influence further strengthened; the markets within the Greater Bay Area should basically be highly connected, with very effective and efficient flow of various resources and factors of production; the coordination of regional development should remarkably improve, with the influence on neighboring regions further strengthened.
The people should become wealthier; the level of social civility should reach new heights, with cultural soft power demonstrably strengthened, Chinese cultural influence broadened and deepened, and exchange and integration between different cultures further enhanced.
Meanwhile, the level of conservation and efficient use of resources should be significantly improved, the ecological environment should be effectively protected, and an international first-class bay area for living, working and travelling should be fully developed.
Spatial Layout
To maintain an approach that is driven by poles, supported by axes and radiating to nearby areas, promote a rational division of labor and complementary positioning among large, medium-sized and small cities, further enhance coordination in regional development, facilitate the integrated development of urban and rural areas, and build a scientifically structured, compact and highly efficient bay area development framework.
The plan calls for measures to build a spatial network driven by poles and supported by axes, improve the development system of the city cluster and towns, and radiate the development to the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region.
Efforts should be made to improve the four core cities of Hong Kong, Macao, Guangzhou and Shenzhen for strengthen the radiating effect in leading the development of nearby cities; to develop the key node cities of Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing for enhancing cooperation with core cities; to develop towns with distinct characteristics for supporting the regional development layout by improving municipal infrastructure and public services and facilities, developing specialty industries, passing on traditional culture; to promote integrated development of urban and rural areas for raising the quality and level of urbanization and developing livable urban-rural areas with Lingnan characteristics.
It calls for a transport network from the Greater Bay Area to other provinces and regions in the Pan-Pearl River Delta to develop a key economic support zone with the Greater Bay Areas as its vanguard and the Pearl River-Xijiang economic zone as its hinterland, propel development in South Central China and Southwest China as well as Southeast and Southern Asia. The coastal railways, high-grade expressways and major ports are relied for achieving the synergistic development.
Developing an International Innovation and Technology Hub
According to the Outline Development Plan, measures are required to implement the innovation-driven development strategy in great intensity, deepen innovation cooperation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and build an open community for coordinated innovation in the region that encompasses integrated development.
To build an open community for coordinated innovation in the region needs to strengthen cooperation in innovation and technology, to enhance building of basic innovation capacity, and to enhance the in-depth integration of industries, academia and research. In strengthening cooperation measure, it is necessary to better leverage the functions of the Mainland/Hong Kong and Mainland/Macao Science and Technology Co-operation Committees, and promote the integration of Hong Kong and Macao into the national innovation system thereby enabling them to play more important roles.
It also calls for developing quality innovation and technology carriers and platforms and enhancing the environment for innovation in the region.
In these regards, it requires efforts to accelerate the development of major technological infrastructure facilities in the Greater Bay Area, and focus on raising the standards of basic research as well as deepen reform of innovation systems and mechanisms in the region, develop the Greater Bay Area into a base for the commercial application of technological achievements with international competitiveness, and capitalize on the IP collaboration mechanisms of Hong Kong/Guangdong, Macao/Guangdong and Pan-Pearl River Delta region and step up IP administrative law enforcement and judicial protection.
Expediting Infrastructure Connectivity
The Greater Bay Area aims to strengthen infrastructural development to establish a network with a rational layout, comprehensive functions, smooth connections and efficient operations with the provision of solid support for socio-economic development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Efforts will be made to build a modern comprehensive transport system, enhance and upgrade information infrastructure, develop an energy security protection system, and strengthen protection for the security of water resources in the Area.
For building a modern comprehensive transport system, efforts should be made including to enhance the international competitiveness of the Pearl River Delta port clusters, develop a world-class airport cluster, ensure the smooth flow of comprehensive external transport links, build a rapid transport network within the Area, and raise the standards of passenger and cargo transport services.
In order to enhance and upgrade information infrastructure, measures are called to develop a new generation of information infrastructure, build smart city cluster, enhance the level of cyber security protection, enhance the energy supply structure, and strengthen the energy storage and transport system.
The plan calls for efforts to strengthen infrastructural development, enhance external and internal connectivity, push forward the establishment of an infrastructural network with a rational layout, comprehensive functions, smooth connections and efficient operations, and provide solid support for socio-economic development in the Greater Bay Area.
Moreover, energy security protection system should be developed via enhancing the energy supply structure and strengthening the energy storage and transport system.
Finally, efforts will be made to improve water infrastructure and improve flood prevention and mitigation systems.
Source: Gov.cn & Xinhua & China Daily
Edited and translated by Guo Xinxin
Copyright @ 2014 Urban Planning Society of China
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