GBA featured in China’s 2026 Government Work Report

Premier Li Qiang [Xinhua]

On The Agenda

The Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) again featured prominently in China’s annual Government Work Report delivered yesterday as the National People’s Congress opened in Beijing.

Premier Li Qiang outlined the government’s policy priorities for 2026, reaffirming support for the development of major regional economic clusters, including the GBA, as part of China’s strategy to promote high-quality growth and technological innovation.

According to the report, the government will continue advancing coordinated development within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, strengthening collaboration among cities and promoting the integration of scientific research, industrial innovation and modern manufacturing. The initiative is also intended to reinforce China’s broader push to build globally competitive technology and innovation hubs.

The GBA was referenced in the report’s section on regional development strategies, which calls for accelerating the construction of world-class city clusters and expanding cooperation between mainland cities and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau. Authorities said the region will continue serving as a pilot area for reforms in areas such as cross-border finance, technology transfer and professional mobility.

Chinese media noted that this marks the tenth consecutive year the Greater Bay Area has appeared in the Government Work Report since the initiative was first included in the national policy agenda in 2017. The project, which links nine cities in Guangdong province with Hong Kong and Macau, has become one of the central pillars of China’s regional development strategy.

Officials said development of the GBA will focus on strengthening innovation capacity, improving infrastructure connectivity and promoting deeper industrial cooperation across the region. Plans include further integration of supply chains, expanded collaboration among research institutions and companies, and support for emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and green technology.

The report also emphasised the role of major economic regions in supporting China’s broader economic objectives, including stabilising growth, upgrading industrial capabilities and expanding domestic demand.

Authorities say continued development of the Greater Bay Area will contribute to China’s efforts to build a modern economic system while reinforcing the region’s position as one of the country’s most dynamic centres for trade, technology and innovation.