On June 24th, approaching the third anniversary of the signing of the Framework Agreement on Deepening Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Cooperation in the Development of the Bay Area, the unveiling ceremony and product launch of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Information Center was held in Guangzhou.

The Greater Bay Area Information Center was unveiled in Guangzhou. (Photo provided to newsgd.com)

The event was hosted by the Office of the Leading Group for the Construction of the GBA and Nanfang Media Group, with the support of Statistics Bureau of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of Guangdong, Guangdong Communications Administration, Party School of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of CPC and GBA Affairs Offices of nine Pear River Delta cities.

Cao Dahua, executive deputy director-general of the Office of the Leading Group for the Construction of the GBA, and deputy director-general of the Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission, Cui Caoyang, deputy director-general of the Publicity Department of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, party secretary of Nanfang Media Group, head of Nanfang Daily, jointly unveiled for the information center.

Building a data hub for the construction of the GBA

Aiming to provide services of decision-making, publicity and consulting for the construction of the GBA, the information center will build four platforms: information, research, publicity and product application.

According to Cao Dahua, with the support of Nanfang Media Group, the opening of the GBA information center can gather top global research resources that help to better conduct news reports, information analysis, decision-making consulting for the development of the GBA.

Cui Chaoyang said, top media is crucial for the construction of a first-class bay area. The information center will act as information base and think tank for the GBA, with the use of big data, cloud computing, AI and other technologies to launch more professional research products in innovative ways.

Through "media + think tank + technology", the center has developed a series of information service products, and aggregated data about global macro-economy, policies, projects, news information, research literature, etc. And it has partnered with more than 200 experts in 28 fields covering macro policy, regional economy, industrial planning and big data.

Southcn.com signed MOUs with the Open University of Hong Kong and the University of Macau on the ceremony. (Photo provided to newsgd.com)

On the ceremony, Mei Zhiqing, deputy party secretary, editor-in-chief of Southcn.com signed MOUs with Yuk-Shan Wong, president of the Open University of Hong Kong, and Agnes Lam, director the Centre for Macau Studies, University of Macau.

According to Wong, it is the first time the OUHK has cooperated with a publicity group in the Chinese mainland, he hoped to establish a database to study in the GBA through the cooperation, and promote the integration and development of the GBA.

The cooperation between the University of Macau and Nanfang Media Group is a good example of collaboration of industry, university and media, said Agnes Lam. Both sides will cooperate in theoretical research, policy implementation, information and public opinion communication.

In the future, reporters will have field visits within the GBA, and launch more stories to showcase changes and development of the area, that make it better known throughout the world.