The Governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao are working proactively to develop the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Standards for different products and services. The Governments of the three places signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on jointly promoting the development of the GBA Standards on April 24, 2023, to drive the harmonisation of rules in relevant sectors in the region and improve product and service quality. The list of GBA Standards announced on the same day of signing the MOU covers a total of 110 items in the fields of food quality and safety, Cantonese cuisine, transportation, mechanical and electrical products, as well as medical care, nursing care, education, e-sports, etc. The Trade and Industry Department (TID) is responsible for co-ordinating the participation of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSARG) in the work on the GBA Standards, and has invited relevant bureaux/departments to promote their use by industrial, commercial and professional organisations and enterprises within their purview.
 
     For the formulation of a new batch of GBA Standards, the Standardization Research Center for the GBA (GBA Standardization Research Center), which was established jointly by the People’s Government of Guangdong Province and the nation’s Standardization Administration, recently issued the Guidelines on the Common Needs of GBA Standards in 2023 (Guidelines on the Common Needs) and the Guidelines on Applications for GBA Standards (Guidelines on Applications) respectively to invite applications for GBA Standards from the trade in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. Full texts of the two Guidelines (available in Chinese only) are published on the GBA Standard Information Public Service Platform (GBA Standard Platform) (www.gbsrc.org.cn/newsInfo/).
 
     The Guidelines on the Common Needs set out eight priority sectors for formulating GBA Standards (i.e. new technologies, new energy industries, service industries, consumer goods and food products, talents and employment, healthcare and hygiene, public services, and green industries), while the Guidelines on Applications set out the application requirements and channels as well as the list of application documents. The trades concerned are welcome to submit applications through the GBA Standard Platform (www.gbsrc.org.cn/applicationDevelopment) or by email to the GBA Standardization Research Center (gbsrc@gdis.org.cn) in accordance with the specific requirements set out in the two Guidelines, for the GBA Standardization Research Center’s assessment and examination. The two channels mentioned above accept applications all year round.
 
     The development of the GBA Standards can promote the interconnectivity and integrated development of the three places, deepening Hong Kong’s economic and trade exchanges and co-operation with the Mainland and Macao. The GBA Standards and related information are available on the GBA Standard Platform (www.gbsrc.org.cn) for public access and voluntary adoption by the trade.
 
     The TID will continue to liaise with relevant authorities of Guangdong Province and Macao, and co-ordinate within the HKSARG to jointly take the relevant work forward. Upon issuance of the Guidelines on the Common Needs and the Guidelines on Applications, the TID has encouraged the trade to submit applications for the GBA Standards, and will invite the relevant bureaux/departments to encourage organisations and enterprises within their purview to submit applications.

     A plaque unveiling ceremony was held today (April 26) for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Promotion Centre (Promotion Centre) of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong (GDETO) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), marking the official launch of the Promotion Centre.
 
     The development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is a national strategy personally devised, personally planned and personally driven by President Xi Jinping. It is a key development strategy in the country’s reform and opening up in the new era, as well as the best entry point for Hong Kong to better integrate into the overall development of the country. The Chief Executive has, in his 2022 Policy Address, announced that the GDETO would set up the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Promotion Centre to support the development of Hong Kong people and enterprises in the GBA.
 
     Addressing at the plaque unveiling ceremony held in Guangzhou today, the Acting Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Mr Benjamin Mok, said that the HKSAR Government had all along attached great importance to the development of the GBA, and would continue to strengthen the ties with other cities in the GBA to promote high-level co-operation and high-quality development. The plaque unveiling ceremony today marks the official launch of the Promotion Centre, which will promote opportunities brought about by the GBA development to Hong Kong people and enterprises in the Mainland cities of the GBA and provide appropriate assistance to them when needed.
 
     Speaking at the plaque unveiling ceremony, the Director of the GDETO, Miss Linda So, said that the Promotion Centre would strengthen co-operation with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, InvestHK and relevant organisations and institutions in the Mainland or from overseas to provide information and enquiry services on the GBA. This year, the Promotion Centre will organise different forms of exchanges and promotional activities, including exhibitions, seminars, study missions, etc. to fully support Hong Kong people and enterprises in the Mainland cities of the GBA, as well as to encourage Mainland talents and enterprises to make use of Hong Kong’s unique advantages under “One Country, Two Systems”, and come to Hong Kong to explore more opportunities for development, leveraging Hong Kong’s dual roles in “going global and attracting foreign investment”.
 
     She added that Offices of the HKSAR Government in the Mainland had set up Dedicated Teams for Attracting Businesses and Talents to proactively reach out to target enterprises and talents, liaise with the world’s top 100 universities and promote related schemes, with the aim of attracting high-quality enterprises and talents to Hong Kong to establish or expand their businesses.
 
     Also attending the plaque unveiling ceremony today included the Deputy Director General of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, Mr Huang Duanlian; and the Second-level Inspector of the Office of the Leading Group on Construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area of Guangdong Province, Mr Su Weiguang.
 
     Subsequent to the plaque unveiling ceremony, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office of the HKSAR Government and the GDETO co-orgainsed GoGBA Development Day in collaboration with the Guangzhou Office of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. As the first event of the Promotion Centre after it officially came into operation, “GoGBA Development Day” was held in an online/offline hybrid format with the participation of a number of entrepreneurs who have successfully developed their businesses in the GBA to share experiences, and to have in-depth exchanges with small and medium-sized enterprises, young entrepreneurs and start-ups in Hong Kong and in the Mainland cities in the GBA on how to make the most of the opportunities brought about by the GBA as well as establish business connections.
 
     For more details on the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Promotion Centre, please visit the dedicated website (www.gdeto.gov.hk/gbapromotioncentre/en/). The Promotion Centre is located at Flat 1510, 15/F, Citic Plaza, 233 Tian He North Road, Guangzhou. For enquiries, please contact the Promotion Centre at (8620) 3895 2200 or email to gba@gdeto.gov.hk.