The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference holds a news conference on March 2, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua] The country's top political advisory body will actively support the implementation of the development goals of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, a spokesman said on Saturday. Guo Weimin, spokesman for the second session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said the CPPCC National Committee attaches great importance to the Greater Bay Area development, and is proactively facilitating its implementation. The CPPCC National Committee will hold thematic group discussions focusing on the Greater Bay Area during its annual plenary session, which will open on Sunday, Guo told reporters at the first press conference ahead of the annual two sessions in Beijing. The two sessions, or lianghui, are the annual meetings of the National People's Congress and the CPPCC National Committee. The central government unveiled the long-anticipated outline development plan for the Greater Bay Area on Feb 18. The development blueprint lays out the vision for coordinated development of the 11-city cluster, comprised of the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, and nine cities in Guangdong province. The plan aims at developing the region into an international first-class bay area, to rival the world's top city clusters in San Francisco, New York and Tokyo. The plan is an important outline document guiding the current and future cooperation and development of the Greater Bay Area, and maintaining the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao, Guo noted. The CPPCC National Committee will make ongoing efforts to do what it can to help implement the development goals of the Greater Bay Area. Throughout the year, the committee will continue to offer suggestions and gather views from the public by holding biweekly consultative meetings and online conferences of committee members, and organizing forums and studies, Guo said. Discussions will center on how to facilitate the Greater Bay Area's bid to become an international innovation and technology hub. Committee members also will exchange ideas about how to promote youth exchange across the region, and about innovation in institutions and mechanisms to advance the Greater Bay Area's development, Guo said. The 2,000-plus members of the CPPCC National Committee will use these various activities to help garner support and build consensus in pushing forward the region's integrated development. The CPPCC National Committee has consistently provided support to the development of the Greater Bay Area. While the region's development plan was in the formulation process, members of the CPPCC National Committee presented many relevant proposals last year, and 158 proposals have been accepted, Guo added. This year also marks the 20th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland. Guo said the central government, the Macao SAR government and different organizations in the city are all preparing various celebratory activities to commemorate the joyous occasion. Macao has made remarkable strides in the past 20 years, with firm support from the central government. Under the one country, two systems principle, the SAR has adhered to people of Macao governing Macao with a high degree of autonomy, and has become a prosperous place that offers its residents stability and quality living standards, Guo said. He added that Macao will continue to play important roles as a global tourism and leisure center, and as an economic and trade cooperation platform between China and Lusophone (people culturally and linguistically linked to Portugal) countries. With its extensive international connections, Macao is also an important link in the Belt and Road Initiative. custom bar braceletcustom sports braceletscustom logo wristbandsde securite pour personne ageeembossed wristbandscolorfilled wristbandsembossed printed wristbandsdual layer wristbands
HANOI - Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday called on countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) to seize opportunities and break new ground for the cooperation and development in the sub-region.Addressing the 6th GMS Summit, Wang noted that over the past 25 years, the six GMS countries have cooperated with and supported each other, sought development paths that suit their national conditions, and advanced toward peace, stability and prosperity."We have actively participated in economic globalization, worked together to mitigate the Asian and global financial crises and emerged as a strong driving force for Asia's economic growth," he said."Our interests are connected, so are our destinies. With a joint desire to achieve development and prosperity, we must seize the opportunities that come our way and take concrete action to break new ground in the development and cooperation in our sub-region."The Chinese state councilor said the GMS countries - Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam - need to foster stronger growth."As the world economy is shifting from old to new growth drivers, GMS countries can and must make new strides in tapping new sources of growth," he said. "We can only make our growth more energized and efficient by riding the wave of innovation and change."Wang stressed the need to support openness in GMS economic cooperation."We must continue to drive trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, support the multilateral trading system and promote an open, inclusive and balanced economic globalization that benefits all," he said.The Chinese state councilor also emphasized the need to improve the network of connectivity in the sub-region."China will work with other GMS countries to further harmonize policies, regulations and standards and implement the Cross Border Transport Facilitation Agreement, as these efforts will help us strengthen the weak links in institutional connectivity and build an all-round and multi-dimensional connectivity network," he said.Wang also called for closer GMS partnership."It serves the common interests of all GMS countries to forge a closer partnership for common development and shared prosperity," he said. "It is important that we treat each other with respect and as equals and deal with sub-regional affairs through consultation.""We must stay development-oriented and pursue win-win and all-win outcomes in cooperation. We must uphold inclusiveness and mutual trust to ensure that our development and cooperation are not affected by turns of events."According to a blueprint mapped out by the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China for China's future development, China will make all-out efforts, in the new era, to pursue high quality development, further deepen its reform and opening-up, and continue to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with its neighboring countries, Wang said.Pointing out that GMS countries are natural partners in and primary beneficiaries of the Belt and Road Initiative, he said. "We could synergize GMS cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative and realize interconnected development through coordinated actions."China will also further harmonize policies and enhance the synergy between economic corridors to fully leverage their role in boosting the economy so as to build a "more close-knit community of shared destiny" in the sub-region and open a brighter future for the sub-regional development, he said.
