The Pearl River Delta Economic Zone, also known as the Greater Bay Area or the West Triangle is an area encompassing the nine cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Zhongshan, Dongguan, Jiangmen, Huizhou and Zhaoqing. It is one of Chinas most active economic and transportation hubs, playing a key role in driving the countrys economic growth.
Located in the southernmost part of Chinas mainland, the Pearl River Delta covers a total area of approximately 44,300 square kilometers. It houses more than 60 million people, making it one of the most densely populated areas in the world. This region is considered an important hub of technology, manufacturing, finance and logistics in China, with many of the most advanced technology and manufacturing facilities in the country located here.
The Pearl River Delta has experienced rapid economic growth in recent decades, due in part to its strategic location along the Chinese mainlands southeast coast, where it was ideally positioned to reap the benefits of Chinas accelerated growth and rapid industrialization. It is an important node in Chinas One Belt, One Road initiative, which is aimed at promoting increased connectivity between Southeast Asia and Europe.
In recognition of its importance, the central government of China in 2018 established the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, which seeks to promote even closer collaboration and integration between the cities within the Pearl River Delta. In particular, the initiative seeks to focus on the areas of innovation, technology, infrastructure, finance, and business. In 2020, the GBA also established the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Bay Area Development Fund, with a total of 30 billion yuan (about 4.6 billion US dollars) dedicated to facilitate the development of the region.
As part of the GBA initiative, the Pearl River Delta cities are working to develop a unified scientific research and technology transfer platform, which will allow for easier collaboration between the different cities and promote closer integration of the regions research and manufacturing facilities. This would allow research teams in different cities to conduct joint projects and access resources from a global network of technology and manufacturing partners.
In addition, the region is looking to build better transportation infrastructure so that people and goods can move more freely across the different cities. This would include new high-speed railway lines, roads and tunnel bridges, as well as improved waterway links and electronic networks.
The Pearl River Delta is also home to several major international events, including the Guangzhou International Commodity Fair, China High-Tech Fair, and China International Trade Fair, which attract business delegations from around the world. In addition, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau International Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition is an annual event that encourages entrepreneurs from both local and overseas to develop innovative business models and products for the country.
Despite its economic progress, the Pearl River Delta is still home to some of Chinas worst air pollution and environmental degradation problems. In recent years, there have been several high-profile environmental disasters, such as chemical spills, oil spills, and excessive sulfur dioxide emissions, which have caused severe damage to local water and air quality. To address these issues, the central government has created a Green Pearl River Delta program, which seeks to enhance the regions sustainability and reduce its emissions.
The Pearl River Delta is an important economic driver for China, accounting for more than one-third of the countrys GDP. This region is home to some of the most advanced technology and manufacturing facilities in China, and is well-placed to benefit from Chinas One Belt, One Road initiative. As such, the region offers huge potential for investors, with strong growth prospects in areas such as innovation, technology, finance, and logistics. However, the region still faces many environmental challenges, which must be addressed in order to ensure its long term sustainability.