The authorities concerned announced policy directions on the initiative in February, in the form of the Outline Development Plan of the GBA.
The plan, which includes near-term goals until 2022 and longer-term goals until 2035, has specific sections dedicated to turning the GBA into a global technology innovation center, expediting infrastructure connectivity, building advanced manufacturing and modern services industries, and developing a quality living circle, among other objectives.
All of these are important to enhancing the region's leading role in national economic development and opening-up.
The idea is to create a world-class city cluster through collaboration and integration, made possible by the cities' clear division of economic functions, high level of economic vibrancy and internationalization, and a long history of cooperation through Pearl River Delta integration.
The plan aligns one of China's most robust and dynamic regions with the country's long-term economic priorities. This should help the GBA expand strongly and stay relevant, allowing it to spearhead China's economic transformation and reshape how companies operate in the region for decades to come.