Pearl River Delta outpaces Tokyo, San Francisco bay areas

Formally named Guangzhou TV Astronomical and Sightseeing Tower, Canton Tower is seen with the Liede Bridge on the foreground, during a night cruise along the Pearl River

Analysis

Carrying mostly “Tsinoy” tourists and some Philippine-based journalists, the chartered bus has traversed about 17 kilometers of the newly opened sea bridge across the foggy Pearl River estuary. And then the mist parted to reveal the diamond-shaped island in the middle of the water ahead, recalls a Philippine Daily Inquirer’s reporter in a detailed account of the tour here abbreviated.

Named as West Artificial Island, it is shaped like the body of a kite, with the bridge representing its lengthy tail. The island serves as the mouth of a 6.8-kilometer undersea tunnel, the other end of which emerges onto Shenzhen. This is the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link, tagged at more than $6 billion and opened to traffic last June 30.

The Pearl River Delta region in China, home to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), is emerging as a formidable global economic powerhouse, surpassing even renowned metropolitan hubs like Tokyo and the San Francisco Bay Area.

During the tour organized for Filipino-Chinese tourists and journalists, the visitors crossed the newly opened Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link, a sea bridge and tunnel system stretching across 17 kilometers.

The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link connects two key cities in  Guangdong province. The tollway complements the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, a similar bridge-tunnel complex completed in 2018. Together, these projects symbolize the economic might of the Pearl River Delta, often called the “factory of the world” for its massive industrial output.

Situated just a short flight away from the increasingly contested South China Sea, the GBA encompasses nine cities, including Guangzhou and Shenzhen, along with the two special autonomous regions of Hong Kong and Macau.

This region plays a significant role in China’s economy, accounting for about 11% of the nation’s $17.8 trillion GDP. In comparison, the GBA’s economic output of $2 trillion in 2023 surpassed that of both the Tokyo Bay Area ($1.8 trillion) and the San Francisco Bay Area ($1.3 trillion), according to DBS Bank.

The region’s economic clout, driven by infrastructure, high-tech manufacturing, trade, finance, and resilient property markets, positions it as a top global player alongside America’s Silicon Valley.

During the tour this month, which covered five of the GBA’s nine cities, visitors witnessed firsthand the scale of development and modernization. Shenzhen, in particular, stands out as a city that has rapidly evolved from a small fishing village in the 1980s to a bustling metropolis with a skyline dominated by skyscrapers. The city boasts more high-rise buildings than any other in the world, including the Ping An Finance Centre, one of the tallest structures globally at 599 meters.

Meanwhile, Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong province and a historical trading hub, blends its rich past with a modern skyline. The iconic Canton Tower, standing at 604 meters, is the second-tallest tower in the world, only behind Japan’s Tokyo Skytree. The city is also home to some of the world’s tallest buildings, such as the Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre, which ranks eighth globally at 530 meters.

The sheer scale of ongoing development across the GBA is hard to miss. The tour’s participants, including some who had visited Shenzhen in the 1980s, marveled at the transformation. Back then, the city was a modest fishing village, far removed from the industrial juggernaut it is today. Shenzhen has since become a global hub for manufacturing and innovation, producing a wide array of goods, from electronics to appliances. The transformation is particularly striking for those who, like Robin Tan, witnessed Shenzhen’s humble beginnings firsthand.

Tan recounted how, during his visit in the 1980s, Shenzhen locals prized goods imported from nearby Hong Kong, then still under British rule. Today, however, the GBA, particularly Shenzhen, manufactures much of what the world needs and wants. The biannual Canton Fair, held in Guangzhou, remains a key event for showcasing the region’s manufacturing prowess, attracting buyers and businesses from across the globe.

The rapid development of the GBA is supported by a growing population, now approaching 90 million—around four-fifths of the Philippines’ population. The sight of construction cranes scattered across the region underscores its continued growth, with new infrastructure and residential developments rising at a brisk pace. The ongoing urbanization and economic expansion of the GBA signal China’s ascent as a global economic player, further solidifying its influence on the world stage.

For tourists, the GBA offers a unique blend of historical significance and modernity. While China’s other cities like Beijing and Shanghai are renowned for their historical and cultural attractions, the Pearl River Delta region is emblematic of China’s contemporary rise as an economic superpower. As China continues to develop, the GBA stands as a key driver of this growth, offering a glimpse into the future of global commerce and industry. MDT/Philippine Daily Inquirer