Overview

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area comprises four key hubs of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Macao Special Administrative Region, and the municipalities of Dongguan, Foshan, Guangzhou, Huizhou, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Zhongshan and Zhuhai in Guangdong Province. At the end of 2019, the 56,000 square kilometre GBA had a total population of over 72 million. Its combined GDP and GDP per capita were USD1,679.5 billion and USD 23,371 respectively.

The cities in the GBA are engaged in the pilot implementation of innovative policies in the financial and social management sectors to establish an international market‑oriented business environment. The free flow of talents, goods and capital is actively promoted across the region with the goal of raising the level of economic efficiency, transparency and internationalisation. As one of the mainland’s leading economic growth engines, the GBA also plays an important role in advancing the economic development of the Pan-Pearl River Delta region, including the central‑south and southwestern regions of China, and provides a key platform for the Belt and Road Initiative.

On 18 February 2019, the State Council promulgated the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, designating Hong Kong, Macao, Guangzhou and Shenzhen as the four core engines of the GBA. Hong Kong is designated as an international financial, shipping, trade and aviation hub, a global offshore RMB business hub and an international centre for asset management and risk management. As a value‑added financial, trading, logistics and professional services, supporting technology and innovation, Hong Kong is also a centre for international legal and dispute resolution in the Asia Pacific.