On September 22nd, the awards ceremony for the Sixth Greater Bay Area Outstanding Young Entrepreneur Selection was held simultaneously in Hong Kong, Macau, and Shenzhen, China.
The selection activity is organized by the Greater Bay Area Entrepreneurs Union and receives strong support from the governments, universities, chambers of commerce, and media of the three regions. It aims to recognize the contributions of young entrepreneurs to the development of the Greater Bay Area and promote regional integration and high-quality development. A total of 79 young entrepreneurs received awards this year, with congratulations extended by government leaders from the three regions and the Central Government’s Liaison Office in Hong Kong.
This edition of the awards ceremony was grand in scale, specially inviting distinguished political and business leaders as guests of honor. These included Mr. John Lee Ka-chiu, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Mr. Zhang Guozhi, Standing Committee Member of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and Vice Governor of Guangdong Province; Mr. Tai Kin Ip, Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government; and Dr. Jonathan Choi, Standing Committee Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Chairman of the Greater Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance. Together with over 150,000 attendees both online and offline, they witnessed this moment of glory.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu stated in a video address that young people are the future of the nation and Hong Kong, serving as a vital force in driving long-term social and economic development. The development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is a national strategy personally planned, deployed, and promoted by the President Xi Jinping, representing the optimal entry point for Hong Kong to better integrate into the national development agenda. It provides vast development opportunities and boundless possibilities for young people. He noted that the SAR government has successfully nurtured over 200 entrepreneurial teams through the “Youth Entrepreneurship Funding Scheme” and fully supports the inaugural Greater Bay Area Entrepreneurship Competition, which attracted over 7,000 entries, showcasing the innovative vitality of Hong Kong’s youth. The Chief Executive pledged to continue collaborating with the Alliance to support youth innovation and entrepreneurship, contributing Hong Kong’s strength to the development of the Greater Bay Area.
Standing Committee Member of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and Vice Governor Zhang Guozhi, in his video address, extended warm congratulations on behalf of the Guangdong Provincial Government for the successful organization of this selection activity and to all the outstanding young entrepreneurs who received awards. He also expressed heartfelt gratitude to individuals from all sectors who have long cared for and supported the development of Guangdong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Vice Governor Zhang pointed out that the flourishing development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area reflects the collective wisdom and efforts of all sectors of society. Entrepreneurs, particularly young entrepreneurs, have played a pivotal role in connecting the three regions of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao and in stimulating the market. Since its establishment, the Greater Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance has actively promoted exchanges and cooperation among enterprises in the Greater Bay Area, creating a stage for talented young individuals dedicated to building the region to innovate, start businesses, strive, and pursue their dreams. Guangdong Province will continue to support entrepreneurs across the Greater Bay Area, including members of the Entrepreneurs Alliance, in their development endeavors. It will persistently optimize the market-oriented, rule-of-law-based, and internationalized business environment, build more platforms for exchange and cooperation, and continuously provide the greatest convenience and best services.
During the subsequent awards ceremony, Mr. Joseph Mak, Vice Chairman of the ESG Committee of the Greater Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance and Dean of the Asia-Pacific ESG Strategy Research Institute (APESG), was invited to serve as a presenter, awarding commemorative plaques to representatives of the co-organizing institutions.
This edition of the selection has established 79 young entrepreneurs as role models, fostering a strong consensus for collaborative development in the Greater Bay Area and injecting new vitality into high-quality growth. In the future, the Asia-Pacific ESG Strategy Research Institute will further integrate into the development of the Greater Bay Area, joining hands with stakeholders from all sectors to collectively shape a more resilient, green, and inclusive future for the region.