Glorious Opportunities
Interview with Governor Huang Huahua of Guangdong
 Governor Huang Huahua of Guangdong Province at the PPRD forum. |
Guangdong Province's status as core of the Lesser Pearl River Delta and its close connections with Hong Kong and Macao made it a national role model during China's economic reform and opening in the 1980s. More recently, in order to consolidate the three localities' overall strength and competitive power the province proposed and set in motion the Greater Pearl River Delta plan. In 2004 a broader regional cooperation and development strategy encompassing all of southern China -- the Pan-Pearl River Delta (PPRD) -- began implementation. It signaled Guangdong's second burgeoning and rich prospects for regional cooperation in China. China Today (CT) recently interviewed Governor Huang Huahua (Huang) about Guangdong's role in PPRD cooperation.
CT: Could you outline the progress of PPRD Regional Cooperation and its significance?
Huang: Guangdong conceived of the idea based on its experience of Pearl River Delta and Greater Pearl River Delta cooperation. Upon proposing the idea it elicited active and positive response from relevant provinces and regions. In order to define the concept more clearly and work out implementation measures, in June 2004 the 9+2 provinces/regions PPRD Regional Cooperation and Development Forum convened in Hong Kong, Macao and Guangzhou, and in July the first PPRD Economic and Trade Cooperation Talks were held in Guangzhou. The forum raised the curtain on imminent implementation of the strategy, and the talks marked a stride towards future cooperation.
Implementation of the PPRD strategy is in line with the world economy trend, the central government policy of scientific development and its strategy of realizing "a connected and interactive economy, mutually complementary advantages and coordinated development of East, Central and West China." The cooperation strategy will contribute to optimizing production factors within the PPRD and convergence and complementation of regional economy. It makes it possible for Hong Kong and Macao to exploit fully their special advantages, expand their development space and promote economic and social prosperity. All in all, it will create a congenial environment for common economic growth in various localities and raise PPRD competitive power.
CT: PPRD cooperation has moved from market to government orientation. What exactly is the government's role?
Huang: The government creates a congenial environment and provides guidelines for regional cooperation. Enterprises are executors of the strategy and encouraged by the government to seek cooperation and development in accordance with their respective development needs and market practices.
The government plays a vital motivating role within cross-regional economic cooperation in four main aspects: unifying market regulations to create a fair and open market environment; planning, coordinating and guiding cooperation and solving common problems that arise in the process; coordinating rational and balanced infrastructure construction; and motivating concerted efforts to forge PPRD brand identities and influence.
CT: Regional differences and local protectionism exist among the 9+2 provinces/regions. Can the current cooperation mechanism overcome these obstacles to effect a free flow of human resources and material within the area?
Huang: The framework agreement has pinpointed 10 major areas for cooperation. Various PPRD members will accelerate construction and improvement of the regional cooperation mechanism, form a stable communication mechanism, establish specialized cooperation channels and gradually remove regional obstacles to free circulation of goods and commodities.
Guangdong will work together with other inland provinces/autonomous region to establish an open regional market and advance towards expanding the domestic and international markets, particularly within the ASEAN.
CT: Having progressed from Lesser to Greater to Pan-Pearl River Delta, what conceptual changes have occurred along the line? What is Guangdong's next move?
Huang: The Lesser PRD developed ahead of interior areas at the early stage of reform and opening, thanks to its close vicinity to Hong Kong and Macao. Economic globalization made the Greater PRD cooperation inevitable, being the common desire of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. The PPRD is a conceptual breakthrough that takes regional cooperation to a broader, higher and more intensive level. PPRD cooperation meets the needs of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to expand to interior areas and boost their power and related provinces/autonomous region' motivation to take the chance and bound ahead with their development. It is a crucial move for the long-term prosperity of Hong Kong and Macao and a natural choice for implementation of the state's coordinated regional development strategy.
PPRD provides a rare chance of development for Guangdong, whose advantages within the area are self-evident. The status of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater PRD has been elevated as its role as economic propeller is now stronger. As a member of the PPRD, Guangdong is committed to promoting regional cooperation and development by bringing into full play its role as link between Hong Kong and Macao on one side and the interior provinces and autonomous regions on the other. In accordance with the principles of equality, mutual benefit, complementation and development, Guangdong will expand its central role in South China and function of sea-bound passageway for all of southern China, and practice regional division of services and cooperation on a more intensive and extensive level. It will strengthen exchanges and cooperation with other members in the fields of energy, power, transportation, telecommunications, tourism, science, technology and trade. It will help elevate regional cooperation from traditional commercial circulation and manufacturing to full advancement of the first, secondary and tertiary industries, and from spontaneous, self-initiated operation to multi-level, broader and all-around economic and trading cooperative relations propelled by the government and guided by the market.