China to unveil Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao development plan soon: official

BEIJING - China will soon unveil and implement the development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to promote mutual beneficial cooperation in the region, China's top economic planner said on Wednesday.

"Related policies are currently being formulated and will be released soon when the work is complete," Meng Wei, spokesperson for the National Development and Reform Commission, told a press briefing.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is one of China's regions of coordinated development, along with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area and the Yangtze Economic Belt.

According to this year's government work report, China will promote mutually beneficial cooperation between the mainland, Hong Kong, and Macao in all areas.

At the press briefing, Meng said the construction of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is progressing smoothly. The major tunnel project was completed in February and preparation is currently underway for the official opening.

The 55-kilometer-long bridge, situated in the Lingdingyang waters of the Pearl River Estuary, will be the world's longest sea bridge.

It will slash the travel time between Hong Kong and Zhuhai from three hours to just 30 minutes, further integrating the cities in the Pearl River Delta.