Urban agglomeration, Hainan FTZ join hands to boost development

The Beibu Gulf Organization for Economic Cooperation (BGOEC) agreed to seize the historic opportunities of the Hainan Free Trade Zone development and accelerate construction of the Beibu Gulf city cluster, according to a general meeting held on Nov 26, 2018.

Ding Hui, mayor of Haikou, suggested that all member cities take part in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and actively engage in the construction of Hainan FTZ and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The Hainan government will promote institutional innovation in some key fields such as investment, trade, finance, and comprehensive supervision to create a business environment with more internationalization, marketization and legalization, providing Beibu Gulf cities useful experience in reform and opening-up.

The Greater Bay Area is an important supporting strength for the development of Beibu Gulf cities, Ding said, adding that the Beibu Gulf Urban Agglomeration should align with the Bay Area, and strengthen cooperation and exchanges with the Pan-Pearl River Delta region.

Wen Zhanbin, mayor of Yangjiang said that Beibu Gulf cities should make an overall plan for transport connection and increase investment in transport construction to build a three-dimensional and unhampered traffic network linking the Beibu Gulf Urban Agglomeration with domestic and overseas cities.

Cities in the gulf should promote the integration of culture and tourism and build tourist city alliances led by Hainan, to create a national characteristic Beibu Gulf tourism brand, according to Xu Zhihui, the mayor of Maoming.

Lan Xiao, executive vice-mayor of Chongzuo suggested the Beibu Gulf cities to further strengthen cooperation and exchanges with countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and further explore the ASEAN market.

Jiang Jianjun, mayor of Zhanjiang, said that cities in the Beibu Gulf Urban Agglomeration should deepen industrial cooperation, and take an active role in the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor.

At the meeting, six strategic cooperation framework agreements were signed, including ones on public security in the urban agglomeration, maritime cooperation, environmental protection and transport construction.