Night view of Zhongshan, the host city of the 2019 Zhongshan Trade and Investment Fair & Top Talent Networking held in late March. [Photo provided to China Daily] The integrated urban-rural development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is expected to be the first realized in China and become one of the most important contributors to the nation's economic growth in the future, according to economic experts. National Economic Research Institute director Fan Gang believes the integration of China's urban and rural areas will be put on the schedule in the next stage of the nation's development after poverty is planned to be mostly eliminated by 2020. City clusters, like the one in the Bay Area and the two others around Beijing and Shanghai, are emerging to become a major drive to China's development, he noted. In the process, one of the most severe challenges is how to connect public service networks and then make them integrated, he stressed. Pilot zones are necessary to try some policies and measures, he added. He said the Bay area could be the experimental zone to promote an integrated service of public affairs, education and medical treatment. Leung Wai-ho, chairman of the Greater Bay Area Committee at the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong, agreed on the importance of regional integration but also admitted it is a very difficult journey. He proposed transforming the Bay Area into a big special administration region, a proposition that comes from his own experience of a cross-border loan dilemma. He said it is difficult for his Hong Kong-registered company to borrow a loan in the Chinese mainland, while it is also not easy to apply a loan in Hong Kong because his collateral - real estate properties - are in the mainland. He believes a big special administration region could help solve problems like his. The remarks were made at a conference organized by Singapore-based DBS Bank, one of the largest financial services groups in Asia. More than 300 company representatives and investors in the Bay Area participated the forum. child size silicone wristbandscolor wristbandssilicone bracelets custom cheap canadacustom wristbandssmall silicone wristbands
BEIJING - Foreign leaders around the world sent their greetings and good wishes to Chinese celebrating the Chinese New Year, expressing their will to further develop relations with China.In a video message, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, Dogs are guards and good companions to human beings. The Year of the Dog symbolizes loyalty and trust. Trust boosts unity and collaboration. That is what our world needs.Let us work together for global peace and prosperity. I thank China and the Chinese people for their support for the work of United Nations. I wish you good health, happiness and success in the Year of the Dog, he added.European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker expressed similar sentiments in another video greeting.This is indeed a special year for two reasons, he said. Firstly, because it is the Year of the Dog, so it will be a year of loyalty, sincerity and harmonious relationships. This is exactly what the European Union (EU) and China will work for this year. We are loyal and sincere friends and we will continue working together in the best harmony possible.The second important reason is that this is also the first-ever EU-China Tourism Year. There will be plenty of cultural events and exchanges, so we can learn more about each other's societies and ways of life, Juncker added.World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who visited China in August as chief of the agency for the first time and held very efficient talks with Chinese leaders, thanked China for its continuous support to the WHO and hoped to expand bilateral cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean's Executive Secretary Alicia Barcena said China is of critical importance to Latin America and the Caribbean region. The people in the region warmly welcome Chinese people to visit and also wish to visit China, she said.Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen said Chinese communities in Austria not only provide important and valuable service to the economy but also contribute to building a multicultural, open and inclusive country.Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said he expects China to maintain its friendly relations with countries around the globe, including Slovakia, and wished China greater diplomatic achievement as one of leading countries in the world.Fijian President Jioji Konrote thanked all Chinese partners in development who strove over the years to promote the mutually beneficial relations between Fiji and China and helped Fiji in dealing with its socio-economic and political challenges.Maltese President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca acknowledged the Chinese participation in the life of Malta and their contributions to the prosperity and well-being of the Maltese Islands.Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said he has every reason to believe that the Year of the Dog will bring us more success and mutual benefits for China-Africa cooperation.Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena thanked China for its significant contribution to the development of Sri Lanka.In a statement released on the official website of the government, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy highlighted the contributions of the Chinese community to the shared prosperity in Spain.Many Spaniards today see the Chinese and Asian cultures as something much closer than they did in the past, Rajoy said.
