The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will boost exchanges and integration along the Belt & Road, and both initiatives are essential to world economic development, it was agreed during just-concluded talks on the Maritime Silk Road.

The 3rd 21st Century Maritime Silk Road China (Guangdong) International Communication Forum took place at the Zhuhai International Convention & Exhibition Center in Shizimen from Oct 21 to 23.

More than 300 guests from across the world, including 18 mainstream news agencies from 18 countries and regions, explored the Integration of the Maritime Silk Road and Greater Bay Area Development during the event.

Angus S Deaton, 2015 laureate of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, said that the Greater Bay Area is a window between China and the world. He said he is delighted that the Chinese government keeps opening to the outside world at a relentless pace.

Foreign journalists tour Hengqin [Photo by Zhong Fan / Zhuhai Daily]

A series of development policies adopted by the Greater Bay Area and the Belt & Road Initiative in Southeast Asia is conducive to building a community with a shared future for mankind, according to David Gosset, founder of the Euro-China Forum. He said the Greater Bay Area has the potential to become a bellwether in the 4th Industrial Revolution.

The guests also shared their insights into the External Communication of Greater Bay Area Development, Media Integration in International Communication Innovation, and City Image Building under the Belt & Road Initiative at three parallel forums.

Zhuhai Media Group, Macao Commercial Post International Media Group, Telediffusion of Macao, and Macao Cable TV also signed strategic cooperation agreements in resource sharing, joint activities, new media platform construction and broadcasting each other's programs.

In addition, a cultural-tourism photo exhibition better acquainted attendees with countries along the Belt & Road. A sci-tech corridor also attracted interest with a bilingual book exhibition of Thought on Socialism With Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and a 5G+4K/8K+AI intelligentized media display.

Notably, mainstream media representatives from countries along the Belt & Road said they were impressed with the accelerated development of the Greater Bay Area when they toured ever-changing Hengqin New Area on Oct 23.

At the Hengqin New Area Exhibition Hall, they were briefed on Hengqin's location advantages, planning, construction, and achievements through sand table models, promotional videos, and multimedia interactions.

They also learned about Hengqin's measures to advance Guangdong-Macao cooperation and the innovation of its traditional medicine industry at the Scientific Research Headquarters Building of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Science & Technology Industrial Park of Cooperation Between Guangdong & Macao.

Yang Kyuhyun, editor-in-chief of Asian Journal, said he is optimistic about Zhuhai's development potential and its synergetic development with Macao. He expressed hope that the Greater Bay Area would be established as a world-class city cluster suitable for living and full of humanistic care.

Douangchith Savatbounmy, editor-in-chief of the Laotian Pasaxon newspaper, had a personal feeling for Chinese development achievements and the benefits brought about by the Belt & Road Initiative. He noted that China has invested in many livelihood projects in Laos, which bring tangible benefit to residents.

The Belt & Road Initiative has enabled China to build more links with other countries and facilitated trade between them, said Ghulam Jelani Zwak, General Director of Kabul News. He said the Greater Bay area is a very important step in China's development.