Guangdong officials on Friday said they would speed up development of the Greater Bay Area to turn it into a world‑class city cluster.

They spoke to the media after a meeting of Guangdong’s National People's Congress deputies.

Guangdong vice governor Zhang Hu said the province would make use of a venture capital fund to accelerate building an international tech and innovation hub, upgrade traditional industries, and support emerging sectors.

Guangdong Party Secretary Huang Kunming echoed Zhang's views, saying the area must take the lead, set the example, and shoulder major responsibilities.

"Here, we are delighted to announce that Hong Kong's economic output surpassed three trillion yuan last year," he said.

"Among the six cities nationwide with economies exceeding three trillion yuan, half are located within the Greater Bay Area. The other five are Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. This world-class bay area — the most dynamically developing of its kind — is now experiencing rapid growth."


Edited by Tony Sabine