China’s Guangdong to ‘shoulder major responsibility’ to aid 2024 economic growth, makes Greater Bay Area top priority
- Guangdong will ‘pace up construction’ of China’s Greater Bay Area plan in 2024, having set an economic growth target of 5 per cent
- Beijing has pinned its hopes on provinces including Guangdong and Zhejiang to play a bigger role in driving up economic growth
China’s southern powerhouse of Guangdong province has pledged to exhaust all efforts to boost the Greater Bay Area as a top priority in 2024, as it seeks to shoulder a greater role for economic growth.
Governor Wang Weizhong also told a provincial parliament meeting on Tuesday that Guangdong would aim to grow its economy by 5 per cent this year, putting it in the lower band of the goals set by other regional powerhouses.
It came after disappointing 4.8 per cent year-on-year growth in 2023 saw Guangdong miss its target, posting lower expansion than the rise of 6 per cent in the eastern province of Zhejiang and the 5.8 per cent seen in the neighbouring Jiangsu province.
Beijing has pinned its hopes on provinces including Guangdong and Zhejiang to play a bigger role in driving up economic growth, fostering technological advances and pushing forward China’s major development plans.
“We will pace up construction of a world-class bay area, turn it into the best developed bay area and better play a role to lead and support the overall economic development,” said Wang.
