An aerial drone photo taken on Dec. 15, 2023 shows the eastern artificial island and western artificial island of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge in south China. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is becoming a world-class business hub where global firms can thrive, members of the global business community said at a conference held in Hong Kong on Wednesday.

As China transitions towards an economy driven by innovation, sustainability and inclusiveness, the GBA is poised to lead the way as it serves as a model of integrated development, balancing the dynamism of the private sector with the guidance of strategic planning, said Michael Hart, president of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in China, at the second Business Conference on Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development.

According to AmCham China's 2024 China Business Climate Survey, the GBA is one of the most attractive locations for investment in China in the eyes of respondents across all industry sectors.

Hart said that members of AmCham China value market access, proximity to existing operations and good business environment when making investment decisions, acknowledging the GBA's "good work" to ensure equal treatment for foreign-invested enterprises.

Local authorities in the region have sweetened invitations to foreign businesses. Guangdong Province, for instance, has rolled out a raft of policies to ensure national treatment for foreign-funded enterprises in terms of access to factors of production, license application, standards setting, and government procurement.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government had vowed in October to make it easier for companies from the Chinese mainland and overseas to set up headquarters or corporate divisions in Hong Kong.

The foundation provided by the GBA offers tremendous potential as a strategic destination for investment, particularly for U.S. companies, said Noah Fraser, senior vice president of China operations with the US-China Business Council.

Its world-class infrastructure, ports, airports, logistics networks, and advanced digital ecosystems enhance the ease of doing business, he said.

The Hong Kong International Airport opened a third runway on Nov. 28, boosting its annual transport capacity to 120 million passenger trips and 10 million tonnes of cargo. To expand its aviation network, Hong Kong is extending routes to new destinations worldwide and adding flights, while stepping up cooperation with Zhuhai airport in the GBA.

Global companies can contribute to and benefit from the economic dynamism of the GBA, particularly in areas like healthcare, advanced manufacturing, digital innovation, financial services and green technologies, corporate leaders said at the conference.

Financial services, for instance, presents an evident allure for foreign investment. Over 70 percent of the top 100 biggest banks worldwide have set up divisions in the GBA, said Mary Huen, chief executive officer for Hong Kong and Greater China & North Asia of Standard Chartered Bank, affirming the bank's commitment to growing business in the region.

Hong Kong's status as the world's largest offshore renminbi business hub, as well as the ever-enhancing connectivity between the capital markets of Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland, will continue to create opportunities for international banks, she said.

The GBA's growth is rooted in creativity, speed to market, technological innovation and economic diversification, said Fraser.

"It is these principles, coupled with sustainability, that will ensure the region's growth benefits all stakeholders and position the GBA as a model of high-quality development on the global stage," he said.

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