The Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions signed 29 cooperation agreements with the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region to boost links in a variety of areas, including investment, logistics, youth exchanges and technology.
These intergovernmental and corporate partnerships with Guangxi were forged at two investment promotional conferences in the two SARs on Thursday and Friday.
A delegation led by Chen Gang, secretary of the Communist Party of China, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Committee, visited Hong Kong on Wednesday and held a promotional conference at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre a day later.
Officials from the two regions witnessed the signing of two intergovernmental cooperation documents on artificial intelligence and youth exchanges, along with dozens of collaboration agreements between corporations.
Chen said the promotional conferences aim to act on the central government’s vision for the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the materialization of a shared future for the country and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, given the autonomous region’s unique geographical advantage as the sole Chinese region connected to the 11-country bloc by sea, land and river.
2025 saw Guangxi’s trade with Hong Kong rise by 21.9 percent year-on-year, with 156 Hong Kong enterprises establishing a presence in the region.
Chen said Guangxi is now moving quickly to become a key strategic hinterland for the Greater Bay Area and a reliable source of support for Hong Kong’s integration into national development, while building itself into an “international thoroughfare to ASEAN” and a vital platform for partners of the Belt and Road Initiative to engage in shared growth.
Guangxi will embrace the Recommendations of the CPC Central Committee for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) by prioritizing initiatives on three fronts: enhancing the autonomous region’s China-ASEAN artificial-intelligence application center; strengthening its modern industrial ecosystem; and fast-tracking work on the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, a multimodal logistics channel connecting western China with ASEAN, with Guangxi being a crucial hub.
Chen said he hopes the region will deepen collaboration with Hong Kong on more fronts. “We hope to work hand-in-hand with Hong Kong to codevelop AI products for ASEAN markets, and deepen collaboration in port logistics, port-side industries and modern industrial projects,” Chen said. “We hope also to actively bring in the SAR’s professional services to support enterprises from both sides in realizing a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.”
At Thursday’s event, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu made note of the geographical and cultural affinities that have long underpinned Hong Kong’s role as Guangxi’s largest external investor. He said that Hong Kong will continue to help Chinese mainland enterprises access global markets and expansion prospects with its robust international connectivity, globally aligned professional services and legal system, primarily through a dedicated task force on supporting mainland enterprises in going global.
Lee said that with the SAR government’s bid to transform Hong Kong into a global innovation and technology hub and a draw for high-caliber talent, he looks forward to future collaboration of mutual benefit with Guangxi in innovation and technology development and youth exchanges.
Lee added that the two regions also boast great scope for collaboration in broadening shipping networks, citing Guangxi’s designation as one of Hong Kong’s first partner ports late last year.
The Guangxi delegation on Friday joined the Macao SAR officials at another promotional event at Macau Tower, where they witnessed signings of partnerships in areas spanning AI, big data, youth development and tourist exchanges.
The two regions signed cooperation agreements covering areas such as youth exchanges, e-sports, tourism, healthcare and innovation.
Chen told the Macao event that Macao harbors a unique international stature as a service platform for cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. Paired with Guangxi’s ASEAN-facing clout, closer tourism and culture ties will unlock wider and deeper collaborations across multiple sectors, he said.
At the same event, Macao Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture O Lam, representing Macao Chief Executive Sam Hou-fai, said in her address she has confidence in the two places together setting up a cultural tourism and wellness retreat platform, bettering talent alignment with market demand, and exploring new approaches to smart elderly care.
