SHENZHEN, China, Nov. 15, 2024 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/ --

On November 13, the opening ceremony of the 2024 ASEAN-China Greater Bay Area (GBA) Economic Cooperation (Qianhai) Forum was held in Qianhai, Shenzhen city, China. Under the theme "Technological Leadership, Industrial Synergy," the forum features 5 sub-forums, enterprise exchange exhibitions, and industrial cooperation matchmaking events. Over 1,000 representatives from government departments, business associations, think tanks, and enterprises from China and ASEAN countries attended the opening ceremony and related activities.
 
Given their geographical proximity and cultural affinities, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and ASEAN have long engaged in win-win cooperation as each other's largest trading partners. In his keynote speech, Mr. Zheng Yongnian, President of the Institute for International Affairs, Qianhai and Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, emphasized that the GBA and ASEAN countries should work together to address global challenges and achieve sustainable development.
 
Statistics released by the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone at the forum shown that, at the signing ceremony for 2024 economic and trade projects between the GBA and ASEAN, representatives from enterprises and business associations in two regions signed 15 projects with a total contract value of 29.99 billion yuan. To date, the forum has facilitated trade exceeding 30 billion yuan and driven total investment close to 5 billion yuan.
 
The 2024 ASEAN-China GBA Overseas Study Support Program was also officially launched at the forum. The program aims to support the establishment of the Qianhai International Education Foundation initiated by the Institute for International Affairs, Qianhai. It also strives to further strengthen Qianhai's role in promoting international exchange, attract more excellent overseas talents to study in Shenzhen, inject new vitality into the educational exchanges and cooperation between the two sides, and cultivate more talents with an international perspective and cross-cultural communication skills.
 
During the forum, major outcomes of the 2023 ASEAN-China GBA Economic Cooperation (Qianhai) Forum and the 2023 Report on ASEAN-China GBA Economic and Trade Cooperation were also released. According to the attendees, the forum not only offered them a profound insight into the current status and future prospects of cooperation between China and ASEAN countries but also provided opportunities to broaden international cooperation and seek potential partners.
 
Leveraging Qianhai as a fulcrum and the ASEAN-China GBA Economic Cooperation (Qianhai) Forum as a platform, the GBA will expand exchanges and cooperation with ASEAN in various fields such as digital economy, cross-border finance, and international trade. In the digital era, the forum will serve as a broader platform for global practitioners to engage in exchanges and cooperation, thereby boosting industrial upgrades, innovation, and the development of cross-border e-commerce in the GBA and ASEAN countries.
 
Source: The Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone

--BERNAMA