Guangzhou launches new think tank

A seminar on Guangzhou's economic development and the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was held at the Wushan campus of South China University of Technology in Guangzhou on March 30.

The seminar, co-hosted by the Guangzhou publicity department, Guangzhou Association of Social Sciences, and South China University of Technology, officially launched the Guangzhou Think Tank for the Development of the Greater Bay Area.

Nearly one hundred scholars and officials attended the seminar. A total of 11 well-known experts from both Guangzhou and Beijing presented their different perspectives on the Greater Bay.

Wei Houkai, director of the Rural Development Institute, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, stressed building a new type of industrial division over the Greater Bay Area, saying that cities like Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen should focus on two main points: research and design headquarters on the one hand, and marketing, technical services, and brand building on the other; industrial links such as manufacturing should be shifted to other cities as much as possible.

Wei Houkai, director of the Rural Development Institute, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, addresses the seminar in Guangzhou on March 30. [Photo/news.dayoo.com]

Yang Mu, executive director of the Institute of Public Policy, South China University of Technology, pointed out the large number of superior universities in the Greater Bay and the importance of industrialization of their research outcomes to create innovation in the area.

Dong Xiaolin, former vice-president of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, spoke about Guangzhou's positioning as both a global city and a hub city within the Greater Bay. He believes that Guangzhou should strengthen its cooperation with cities within the Greater Bay while conducting dialogues with global cities like New York, Tokyo, and Paris.

Yang Mu, executive director of the Institute of Public Policy, South China University of Technology, speaks at the seminar in Guangzhou on March 30.[Photo/news.dayoo.com]

Du Jinmin, professor at Jinan University, underlined the development of the Nansha Free Trade Zone, regarding it as a breakthrough point for the general development of the city of Guangzhou.

The Guangzhou Think Tank for the Development of the Greater Bay Area, launched at the seminar, is part of Guangzhou's efforts to focus its research resources through think tanks having the city's characteristics.

Ten top scholars in China were invited to form the academic commission of the think tank. Wei Houkai and former President of Jinan University Hu Jun were nominated as the directors of the commission.

Dong Xiaolin, former vice-president of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, addresses the seminar in Guangzhou on March 30. [Photo/news.dayoo.com]

The top priority and fundamental task for the think tank is to present high-quality consulting reports to the government. The reports will need to delve deeply into the major issues arising from the development of the Greater Bay Area as well as Guangzhou city and provides corresponding intellectual support to address them, said Wu Yachun, vice-president of South China University of Technology.

Du Jinmin, professor at Jijnan Univeristy, speaks at the seminar in Guangzhou on March 30. [Photo/news.dayoo.com]