The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) held its 19th briefing session on issues of major concern in Beijing on Oct 15, focusing on promoting coordinated innovation-driven development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) to build a high-level international center for scientific and technological innovation. 

Su Hui, vice-chairwoman of the CPPCC National Committee and chairwoman of the Taiwan Democratic Self-government League Central Committee, attended the meeting, while Xian Hui, vice-chairwoman of the CPPCC National Committee, gave an address. 

Guo Lanfeng, a member of the leading Party members group of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), briefed the meeting participants on the progress the commission has achieved in facilitating the coordinated innovation-driven development of the GBA. The efforts made by the NDRC in this regard included improving policy systems and cooperation mechanisms, advancing the construction of major scientific research platforms and facilities, enhancing sci-tech innovation and industrial transformation capabilities, facilitating cross-regional flow of innovation resources, and backing up the development of innovation cooperation platforms, he noted. 

The NDRC is planning to build major technological infrastructure facilities in line with the "two corridors" (the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong and the Guangzhou-Zhuhai-Macao innovation and technology corridors) and the "two hubs" (the Lok Ma Chau Loop, which occupies a strategic location on the border of Shenzhen in Guangdong province and Hong Kong, and Hengqin, which is located in Zhuhai in southern Guangdong and is next to Macao) , Guo added. 

More efforts will be made to materialize innovation outcomes, further reform innovation systems and mechanisms, accelerate the development of innovation cooperation platforms, and strengthen international cooperation in innovation, in a bid to boost the GBA's innovative capacity, competitiveness and international influence, he concluded.

Lin Xin, vice-minister of science and technology, said the Ministry of Science and Technology is coordinating efforts to develop the GBA into an international center for sci-tech innovation. The ministry has taken measures to  boost the country's strength in strategic science and technology, support research in core technologies in key fields, and promote development of financial services catering to the sci-tech sector, while giving full play to the principal role of enterprises in innovation, with steady improvement achieved in industrial capacity of independent innovation, Lin pointed out.  

The ministry has facilitated the integrated development of an international center for sci-tech innovation and a high-level talent hub, established joint laboratories, improved policies for technology exchanges and cooperation, and optimized the open innovation environment in the GBA, Lin said. It will step up efforts to advance the GBA's sci-tech innovation development and turn the area into a strategic center for developing China's scientific and technological strength, he added.

At the meeting, CPPCC National Committee members and government officials discussed topics such as facilitating sci-tech innovation cooperation in the GBA, improving policy design and working mechanisms for the cooperation zone at the Lok Ma Chau Loop, leveraging the role of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin to promote the moderate economic diversification of Macao, enhancing the flow of innovation resources, and improving the recruitment of talents with international vision.