Wu Zhiliang, a member of the 14th Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee and president of the Administration Council of the Macao Foundation, delivers a speech at the "Build up the Cultural Strength of the Greater Bay Area" forum in Shenzhen, Guangdong province on June 8, 2023. (ZHOU MO / CHINA DAILY)

The “one country, two systems” principle is the most characteristic feature of a cultural Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and efforts should be made to fully leverage the value and potential of the principle, experts and scholars said.

“Having two different social institutions and legal systems in the Bay Area will indeed bring difficulties and challenges to its convergence and integration. However, if we make good use of it, the ‘two systems’ could be the biggest advantage of the Greater Bay Area,” said Wu Zhiliang, a member of the 14th Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee and president of the Administration Council of the Macao Foundation.

With an open and inclusive mind, people in the Greater Bay Area have developed a pattern of practice and lifestyle that embrace innovation, creativity and exploration, said Jiang, who is also chairman of the Guangdong Writers Association

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“How to fully tap the value and potential of the ‘two systems’, understand the law of social development and historical and cultural deposits of Hong Kong and Macao, and make innovative transformation of them … should become a major subject for Greater Bay Area development,” he said.

Wu made the remarks at the “Building up the Cultural Strength of the Greater Bay Area” sub-forum in Shenzhen on Thursday.

Hosted by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the sub-forum was one of the parallel sessions of the Forum on Building up China’s Cultural Strength, which included one main forum and seven other sub-forums. 

Jiang Shuzhuo, a professor in the College of Liberal Arts of Jinan University, highlighted the importance of deepening reform and opening-up as well as promoting innovation in pushing forward integrated cultural development in the Greater Bay Area.

Jiang Shuzhuo, a professor of College of Liberal Arts of Jinan University and chairman of the Guangdong Writers Association, delivers a speech at the "Build up the Cultural Strength of the Greater Bay Area" forum in Shenzhen, Guangdong province on June 8, 2023. (ZHOU MO / CHINA DAILY)

With an open and inclusive mind, people in the Greater Bay Area have developed a pattern of practice and lifestyle that embrace innovation, creativity and exploration, said Jiang, who is also chairman of the Guangdong Writers Association.

“This has become a cultural psychology of the people internally and is displayed in their practices,” he said. 

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“In the new era, deepening reform and opening-up as well as promoting innovation and creativity should become the dominant culture in guiding Chinese cultural development, creating a radiation effect and playing a leading role.” 

sally@chinadailyhk.com