The Los Angeles Post

Highlights of remarks by participants of GBAF

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People’s Daily Online, March 29 (San Francisco) – Jointly launched by People’s Daily Online and People’s Daily West USA, the Global Bay Area Cooperation and Development Forum (GBAF), an international gathering aiming to deepen cooperation between bay areas, kicked off on March 29, 2019.

Below are highlights of remarks by some participants:

Wang Donghua, Consul General of China in San Francisco

“Globalization and increased open collaboration have led to the booming economic success of bay areas worldwide. International participation and mutually beneficial success facilitated by talents and experts from all walks of life have made this possible. Restricting the flow of technologies and intellect will only lead to self-imposed isolation.”

Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council

“Depending on the government formation, certain areas may not work together and communicate, leading to separate approaches in development. This leads to the construction of systems that don’t connect to other systems already in place. This forum can lead the way for rethinking that strategy and encourage people to work together rather than building this or that and then figuring out later how it will all go together cost-effectively and efficiently. The SF Bay Area is like one big shared platform, and people are not in their corner just doing their own thing—they’re working together.”

Steven Rockefeller Jr, Chairman of PFC & SRJ culture

“I have high expectations for [China’s first bay area], as it is a region with the largest economic aggregate in China and is in the vanguard of China’s bay area economy.”

Wang Jun, President of the Academy of Greater Bay Area Studies

“Unlike its international counterparts, the Guangdong-Hongkong-Macao Greater Bay Area will not only feature finance and tech innovation, but also focus on green development, better living quality for the residents, as well as further opening-up to the world. In a word, our bay area will be a diversified and comprehensive one.”