On the afternoon of November 8, the 2024 Global Investment Promotion Conference for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was jointly hosted by the governments of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.
The event brought together representatives from 650 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders from 89 countries and regions around the world.
Party Secretary of Guangdong Huang Kunming delivered a keynote speech at the conference, while Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, Macao Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng, and Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao presented video speeches or promotional presentations. Guangdong Provincial Governor Wang Weizhong also attended and presented a keynote introduction.
In his speech, Huang Kunming emphasized that this year marks the fifth anniversary of the release of the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
“Over the past five years, the three regions have collaborated closely to enhance connectivity and promote industrial and technological innovation. I warmly invite business partners and outstanding talents from around the world to join us in developing the Greater Bay Area into a world-class bay area,” he stated.
Wang Wentao said in his remarks that the Ministry of Commerce would strengthen coordination with the three regions of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao to further advance high-level opening up of the Greater Bay Area.
In his promotional address, John Lee Ka-chiu highlighted that Hong Kong would deepen cooperation with cities in the Greater Bay Area, continuously optimize connectivity measures, and bolster its status as an international financial, shipping, and trading center to attract global companies to invest in the region.
Ho Iat Seng noted that Macao stands as one of the four major central cities in the Greater Bay Area, benefiting from unique advantages such as its status as a free port, a separate customs zone, the free movement of capital, a Sino-Portuguese platform, and a business environment that aligns with international standards.
Wang Weizhong highlighted that Guangdong has ranked first in regional innovation capabilities for eight consecutive years, becoming a “test field” and “incubator” for new technologies, products, business models, and service models. He also noted that Guangdong is vigorously promoting ecological progress and green development is unleashing fresh momentum.
Additionally, Guangdong has been recognized for four consecutive years as the province with the best business environment, offering a first-class, market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment.
The conference received positive responses and strong support from global enterprises. Business leaders, including Markus Kamieth, CEO of BASF SE—the world’s largest chemical company based in Ludwigshafen, Germany; Kuok Khoon Hong, chairman of Wilmar International, a Singapore-based food and agriculture enterprise; and Darren W. Woods, Chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobil Corporation shared their experiences and insights on investing and developing in the Greater Bay Area during the event.
According to statistics, this conference successfully facilitated 1,933 projects with a total investment amounting to 2.26 trillion yuan. Notably, projects from the previous two investment conferences have accelerated implementation, with 76.8 percent of projects—representing over 1 trillion yuan—having commenced.
Wang Weizhong also presided over a roundtable meeting for multinational companies in Guangzhou as part of the 2024 Global Investment Promotion Conference for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
This meeting invited representatives from multinational companies to discuss and share insights, enabling a deeper understanding of their investment and business operations in Guangdong and the Greater Bay Area, as well as their future development plans. The discussions included listening to their expectations and suggestions.