More efforts needed to improve city cluster's international profile

Peter Helis. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will become a vibrant world-class city cluster with an improved value chain, environment and record of innovation, but effort should be made to attract more talent and increase the area's global recognition, said a local investment official from Guangzhou, Guangdong province, on Wednesday.

"The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has become one of the most vibrant and possibly the fastest developing areas in the world. When I moved here, some said that the rapid development would soon be over, but the truth is, I have witnessed tremendous change since then," said Peter Helis, chief advisor of the Guangzhou Huangpu District.

As reflected in one of the slogans－"From Made in Guangdong to Created in Guangdong"－Helis said that recognition of the area's decision to move up the value chain has altered the development of its companies.

"They created their own brands and higher-quality products, and invested more into better locally made products. This in turn led to more investment into research and development," he said.

Helis made his remarks during the GBA Development Forum (Guangzhou) & Vision China event on Wednesday.

"The drive gained such momentum that the Greater Bay Area now not only accounts for half of China's annual patent registrations but is also internationally recognized as an innovation powerhouse," he said.

"Efforts have also been made to improve the environment. I have become a stargazer, telling my friends which planets they can see in the night skies. I'm also a bird-watcher and am glad that just two weeks ago, China also passed a new law to protect its wetlands," Helis added.

He suggested more efforts should be made to raise global recognition of the GBA as a world-class city cluster and megapolis.

Also, more cycling lanes, running tracks and hiking paths would make fantastic additions to the already picturesque area.

"It is also in urgent need of global talent, especially Chinese overseas returnees, to increase livability," he added.