Guangdong will expand cooperation with the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions to develop a world-class bay area that can match New York and Tokyo, the province's governor said on Monday.

There have been many major "breakthroughs" in regional cooperation, according to Ma Xingrui, governor of Guangdong, such as the Guangdong Free Trade Zone and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.

He highlighted scientific innovation and services as sectors where Guangdong and Hong Kong can cooperate.

"I'm confident that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will see fast development into a strong competitor with some of the world's most famous bay areas such as New York bay area and Tokyo bay area," Ma said after a conference of the Guangdong delegation to the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress.

Premier Li Keqiang, while delivering the Government Work Report on Sunday, said that the central government would draw up a plan for the development of a city cluster in the area.

"We will give full play to the distinctive strengths of Hong Kong and Macao, and elevate their positions and roles in China's economic development and opening up," Li said.

Ma Huateng, an NPC deputy from Guangdong and chairman and CEO of Tencent, proposed that the central government introduce policies to turn the area into the cradle of China's "Silicon Valley".

The area is home to China's leading tech industries and financial services, as well as being a manufacturing hub, positioning it to become a global innovation center, Ma said.

xujingxi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 03/07/2017 page5)