HONG KONG, Nov. 4, 2025 -- The Global Bay Area Economic Forum 2025 hosted by Our Hong Kong Foundation (OHKF), The Guangzhou Institute of the Greater Bay Area (GIG), and Macao Foundation, draws on advanced experiences and practices from the economic development of major bay areas worldwide. It fully seizes opportunities in Bay Area economic growth, establishes a global dialogue platform for bay areas, leverages their unique advantages, better promotes the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), and echos with the national "15th Five-Year Plan." The forum brings together distinguished guests, with global industry experts and representatives gathering to jointly explore new pathways for high-quality development of Bay Area economies.

The recently released "15th Five-Year Plan" emphasises core directions such as high-quality development, innovation-driven growth, and regional coordination. The forum focuses on AI-driven industrial upgrading and biopharmaceutical innovation, exploring how the GBA can foster new quality productive forces, build an international sci-tech innovation hub, promote pharmaceutical industry chains, and deeply integrate with global value chains.

The forum is honoured to invite the following to deliver opening remarks:

Mr Wong Wai-lun, Deputy Financial Secretary of the Government of the HKSAR; Mr Deng Haiguang, Vice Chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; Dr Bernard Chan, Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Government of the HKSAR; Mr Wu Zhiliang, Deputy Director of the Committee on Culture, Historical Data and Studies of the CPPCC National Committee, and President of the Board of Directors of the Macao Foundation; Mr Bernard Charnwut Chan, Chairman of Our Hong Kong Foundation.

In his video address, Mr Wong Wai-lun, Deputy Financial Secretary of the Government of the HKSAR, stated: "The theme 'Creating New Economic Momentum' is both timely and forward-looking, particularly, at the moment, as our country embarks on implementing the 15th Five-Year Plan. The Plan identifies the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area as one of the engines of high-quality development, and highlights Hong Kong's role in linking the Chinese Mainland with global markets. We are fostering cooperation in frontier sectors such as artificial intelligence, biomanufacturing, and other key innovative technology industries that identified in our nation's new development blueprint through initiatives like Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park and Northern Metropolis."

Mr Deng Haiguang, Vice Chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, stated: "The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is now standing prominently among the world's major bay areas with a new posture. Over the past six years, the industrial system of the GBA is continuously advancing. Guangdong has established nine trillion-yuan-level industrial clusters, including new-generation electronic information, green petrochemicals, and new energy. Emerging and future industries such as artificial intelligence, low-altitude economy, and biomanufacturing are flourishing, complementing the well-developed modern service industries in Hong Kong and Macao, such as finance, trade, and legal services."

In his remarks, Dr Bernard Chan, Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Government of the HKSAR, stated: "Hong Kong's unique combination of the rule of law, a free flow of capital, a transparent and efficient government, and a low, simple, and competitive tax system make it an ideal gateway for international business and investment."

Mr Wu Zhiliang, Deputy Director of the Committee on Culture, Historical Data and Studies of the CPPCC National Committee, President of the Board of Directors of the Macao Foundation, pointed out: "Macao plays a long-standing role as a bridge for economic and trade exchanges between China and Portuguese-speaking countries by actively developing a digital platform to deepen their collaboration in trade, finance, science and technology innovation, youth entrepreneurship, etc."

Mr Bernard Charnwut Chan, Chairman of Our Hong Kong Foundation, stated: "Across the world, Bay Area economies have emerged as powerful engines of progress. From the San Francisco Bay Area to the New York Bay Area, from the Tokyo Metropolitan Bay Area to our own Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, these regions demonstrate how openness, imagination, and collaboration can drive growth and inspire global transformation. Our history as an open economy gives us the flexibility to adapt, while our foundation of One Country, Two Systems ensures the stability that global investors rely upon. These unique advantages allow Hong Kong to contribute meaningfully not only to the development of the GBA, but also to the prosperity of the global community."

Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Professor of Columbia University, stated: "The Greater Bay Area will be the beating heart of the energy transformation, the ecological transformation that the world urgently needs for the next 25 years. What Hong Kong can do is save the world through finance, global linkages, and science and technology, which are specialties here."

The forum is divided into two parts: keynote speeches and discussion sessions (see appendix for details), among which the discussion sessions consist of two parts: Biopharmaceutical and Artificial Intelligence.

Professor Lo Chung-mau, Secretary for Health of the Government of the HKSAR, stated: "The biomedical innovation landscape is rapidly evolving, and so are we. Over the past two years, we have systematically transformed vision into infrastructure, infrastructure into capability, and capability into tangible results. Under the new '1+' drug approval mechanism, 15 new drugs approved, over 70 clinical trials in the pipeline, and a regulatory body ready to serve the region and the world. But our ambition extends beyond our shores. We envision Hong Kong as the nexus where Eastern and Western medical innovation converge"

Ms Cheong Man-lei, Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the Government of the HKSAR, stated: "Hong Kong will continue to fully integrate into the national development, give play to its unique advantages and potential to contribute to the nation, and strive to promote AI-driven scientific research, innovation, industrial upgrading, and cross-sector collaboration."

The forum has received strong support from the government, industry, and major chambers of commerce, including "Principal Sponsor" The Hong Kong Jockey Club; "Gold Sponsor" Nissin Foods Company Limited; and "Luncheon Sponsor" EY China.

To Watch:

English: https://bit.ly/4otm4lS
Cantonese: https://bit.ly/4oEnvxX
Putonghua: https://bit.ly/4oTkLwg

About Our Hong Kong Foundation

Our Hong Kong Foundation (OHKF) is a non-government, non-profit organisation founded in November 2014 by Honorary Chairman Mr. Tung Chee-hwa, former Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and former Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR. OHKF aims to contribute to Hong Kong's prosperity and stability as well as its sustainable development under the "One Country, Two Systems" principle. The Foundation has three operating units: the Public Policy Institute that focuses on public policy research, advocacy, and engagement as a think tank; the Academy of Chinese Studies that promotes traditional Chinese culture and tells the stories of China today, and Hong Kong Chronicles Institute that produces a book series about Hong Kong's development over time for preserving history and educating the people.