An international academic seminar themed “Leveraging the Unique Advantages of Hong Kong and Macao to Support the Joint Building of the Belt and Road Initiative” was co-hosted by the Hong Kong and Macao Research Institute of the Development Research Center of the State Council and Beijing Language and Culture University in Beijing on December 13.
“Strengthening academic research on Hong Kong and Macao’s participation in the joint building of the Belt and Road is not only the responsibility of the academic community, but also an urgent need to promote their full participation and support for the Belt and Road construction, and to better integrate into and serve the overall national development. This seminar is both a systematic review of the practices and achievements of Hong Kong and Macao’s participation in the Belt and Road construction and a valuable reference for exploring their future participation paths,” Guo Yongjun, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Research Institute of the Development Research Center of the State Council, told reporters.
Broad Prospects
The seminar set up 4 parallel forums, inviting experts and scholars from home and abroad to conduct high-level academic exchanges. In-depth discussions were held on issues such as Hong Kong’s status as the “Three Major Centers” and the high-quality development of the Belt and Road, the role of Hong Kong’s legal services in the Belt and Road construction, the cultural diversity of Hong Kong and Macao and cultural exchanges and mutual learning under the Belt and Road framework, and Macao serving as a “Precise Liaison” between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.
Zhang Baojun, Vice President of Beijing Language and Culture University, noted that the joint building of the Belt and Road has entered a new stage of high-quality development, which brings new opportunities as well as many theoretical and practical issues to be studied, requiring collective wisdom and in-depth discussions. As a meeting point of Eastern and Western cultures, Hong Kong and Macao enjoy distinct advantages and broad development space. With decades of rich experience in language services, humanities research and international talent training, Beijing Language and Culture University is willing to provide stronger academic research and talent training support for Hong Kong and Macao to better play their roles.
Feng Wei, Consultant of the National Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies and former Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, stated that Hong Kong and Macao are important nodes in the Belt and Road construction. Many practical issues deserve in-depth research, and theoretical research must keep pace with practical progress. Academic and policy research should uphold the spirit of innovation, continuously explore the development laws of relevant practices, find targeted solutions, refine them into systematic theories, and provide a solid foundation and support for practice.
“Hong Kong and Macao serve as crucial bridges and windows connecting the Chinese mainland with other countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative,” said Xu Jianping, former Director of the Department of Regional Opening of the National Development and Reform Commission. Hong Kong, as a major international financial, shipping and trading center, excels in providing global, comprehensive financial and professional services for the Initiative. Macao, as a key bridge and platform linking China and Portuguese-speaking countries, has seen its role as “One Center, One Platform, One Base” becoming increasingly prominent, with advantages in providing targeted, regional platform services and cultural exchanges featuring Portuguese-speaking countries. Going forward, by further leveraging their unique strengths, Hong Kong and Macao will have broad prospects for deeper participation in and contribution to the joint building of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Unique Advantages
The speakers at the seminar included both theoretical researchers who have long engaged in studies on Hong Kong, Macao and the Belt and Road, and representatives from frontline and practical departments; as well as experts and scholars from the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, and delegates from Belt and Road partner countries such as Portugal, Ecuador, South Africa, Tajikistan, Bangladesh and Singapore. Participants conducted in-depth discussions on major theoretical and practical issues concerning Hong Kong and Macao’s participation in the Belt and Road construction.
E Zhiheng, Vice President of the Bank of China Research Institute, pointed out that as a world-leading international financial center, Hong Kong enables financial institutions based there to grow stronger and align with international best practices. Meanwhile, with its international regulatory environment and mature regulatory system, Hong Kong helps China enhance its voice and influence in global financial governance cooperation. In addition, as the world’s largest offshore RMB business hub, Hong Kong plays a pivotal role in the internationalization of the RMB. Its highly open financial market and professional risk management capabilities provide an important investment and financing platform for the high-quality joint building of the Belt and Road.
“As an international shipping center, Hong Kong’s strength lies in building an ‘One-Stop Global Shipping Service Complex’ that offers end-to-end professional services covering company establishment, financial insurance, legal consulting, ship trading and management, and even dispute resolution,” Ren Zihao, Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Maritime Institute, told reporters. Hong Kong’s open and comprehensive ecosystem is a valuable asset for the Belt and Road construction. By focusing on its strengths and innovating ideas, Hong Kong’s shipping industry will have great potential in bulk commodity trade, green shipping and other fields.
“During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, as an international trading center, Hong Kong can play a more important role by acting as a ‘Super Value-Adding Connector’ for the domestic and international dual circulation, and a ‘Value-Adding Provider of Comprehensive Global Supply Chain Services’ covering logistics, talent flow, capital flow and information flow,” said Lam Chi-wing, a Hong Kong Deputy to the National People’s Congress and Founding Vice President of the Hong Kong Association for Promotion of External Exchanges. Hong Kong is becoming a two-way “springboard” and value-added service platform for mainland enterprises to “go global” and overseas enterprises to “enter the Chinese market”. By accurately meeting the country’s needs for supply chain security and stability in the new development pattern, Hong Kong can not only consolidate its own prosperity and stability, but also make greater contributions to supporting the country’s high-level opening-up and advancing the high-quality joint building of the Belt and Road.
Strong Momentum
“As a bridge connecting China and Portuguese-speaking countries, Macao has a profound historical and cultural heritage and extensive economic and trade cooperation ties with these countries. Now, with the steady advancement of the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the construction of the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone, and the high-quality joint building of the Belt and Road, Macao is playing an increasingly active role,” said Bernard, Secretary-General of the Portugal-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Enterprises and professional service institutions engaged in China-Portugal cooperation based in Macao have become reliable bridges for interpreting China’s concepts and conveying the demands of Portuguese-speaking countries. In the future, Macao should continue to serve as a “Precise Liaison” between China and Portuguese-speaking countries and play a greater role by strengthening its function as a hub for professional services.
As a service platform for economic and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, Macao plays a unique role in connecting economic and trade, financial and cultural exchanges between China and these countries. Chen Zhifeng, Secretary-General of the Macao Development Strategy Research Center, told reporters that Macao should well perform its role as a “Precise Liaison” and open a new chapter in cooperation between China, Africa and Portuguese-speaking countries through developing benchmark projects, strengthening talent training and leveraging digital tools to better jointly build the Belt and Road. For example, relying on the China-Portugal Cooperation and Development Fund, promote the construction of agricultural industrial parks in Portuguese-speaking African countries such as Mozambique and Angola to ensure food security; and link port resources such as Guangzhou Nansha Port and Jiangsu Lianyungang Port to build a “Dual-Port Linkage” logistics network and improve the trade efficiency of bulk commodities.
Sun Haicheng, former Minister of Transport of Ecuador and a foreign expert at Beijing Language and Culture University, held that Macao’s efforts to promote appropriate economic diversification have created opportunities for its cooperation with Latin American regions in traditional Chinese medicine, cultural and creative industries, and convention and exhibition services. Macao’s strength in conventions and exhibitions has been repeatedly recognized. If combined with Latin America’s cultural heritage, it may create wonderful exhibitions that attract global audiences.
Recently, Macao’s tourism industry has made continuous breakthroughs in terms of total volume recovery, structural upgrading and brand enhancement, injecting strong momentum into its appropriate economic diversification. Sun Haicheng said that the development of Macao’s tourism industry has also opened up new channels for cultural exchanges. In the future, it is expected to enable Latin American tourists to experience multi-destination travel routes connecting Hong Kong, Macao and even the Greater Bay Area, so as to deepen mutual exchanges and understanding.
