The first "Cambodia-Guangdong-HK-Macao Greater Bay Area Promotion Summit" was held in Guangzhou on October 30, with the Cambodian government sending secretaries and undersecretaries of state to unveil a new chapter of deepening cooperation.
The event – attended by more than 300 participants both online and offline – was hosted by the Guangdong-HK-Macao Greater Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance and themed "Collaboration on Technology, Innovation and Traditional Industries".
The summit also celebrated the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cambodia and the sixth anniversary of the creation of the Guangdong-HK-Macao Greater Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance.
Guangdong province, the relevant departments of Guangzhou City, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government, and the Administrative Committee of the Macao Trade and Investment Institute provided support.
Attaching great importance to the huge potential for cooperation with the Guangdong-HK-Macao Greater Bay Area, Cambodia sent high-level representatives led by four secretary of state level officials.
These were: H.E. Prak Phannara, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Tourism; H.E. Heng Sokkung, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology and Innovation (MISTI); H.E. Someth Somnea, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Commerce; and H.E. Ky Chanromdoul, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
All four welcomed Chinese and foreign investors to view Cambodia as a regional business hub for Indochina and ASEAN, with China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) closely linking the economies.
Chinese companies were encouraged to import Cambodian agricultural products, as well as invest in local electrical and electronics industries, the agriculture and food processing sectors, in green and renewable energy, and other priority industries, with tax incentives to be enjoyed.
Fan Xinlin, Vice President of the Guangdong Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said in his speech that fruitful results have been achieved in the construction of a community with a shared future between China and Cambodia, with the scale of bilateral economic and trade continuing to expand.
Dr. Bernard Chan Pak Li, JP, Under Secretary at the Hong Kong Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, and Dr. U U Sang, President of the Administrative Committee of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, both delivered video speeches.
These were used to offer congratulations for the summit and convey optimism for creating even more business opportunities for Cambodian enterprises.
In celebration of the event, the "China-Cambodia Friendship Tea" – specially made by Pu'er Sunwah Tea Co Ltd to express the hopes of a long-term friendship between the two countries – was introduced.
At the summit, the Guangdong-HK-Macao Greater Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance signed a memorandum of cooperation with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Guangdong Committee and the Guangzhou Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
And during a panel discussion, Jesse Choi, Executive Vice Chairman of the Guangdong-HK-Macao Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance, said the summit reflected the high expectations of entrepreneurs from both countries for mutually beneficial development.
He also laid out in detail the achievements of the Sunwah Innovation Center in promoting youth innovation in the Greater Bay Area and the ASEAN region, as well as countries across the world.