The Pan-Pearl-River Delta region includes nine provinces -- Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangong, Guangxi, Hainan, Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan -- as well as the Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR.

The Guideline on Promoting Cooperation within the Pan-Pearl-River Delta Region by the State Council requires us to firmly implement innovative, coordinated, green, open, and shared development, pursue goals of cooperative development, mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, and enhance further reform and opening-up. We should also establish a cooperative development mechanism, speed up formation of a fair and open market system, establish a Pearl River–Xijiang River economic belt and cross-provincial cooperation platform, and promote integrated development of the nine mainland provinces. Finally we should enhance closer ties with Hong Kong and Macao, and build a Pan-Pearl-River Delta region with a prosperous economy, harmonious society, and a sound ecological environment.

The guideline proposes eight key tasks on enhancing regional development:

1. Promote cooperative development of regional economy, where the greater bay area of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao plays a leading role and the Pearl River–Xijiang River economic belt serves as a hinterland in order to stimulate development in south-central and south-western China and to form a key economic supportive belt with radiance over Southeast Asia and South Asia.

2. Promote construction of a unified market governed by a uniform set of rules and regulations, supported by a credit cooperation system, and facilitated by a fast-pass clearance system in the region.

3. Escalate construction of key infrastructure projects for a modernized comprehensive transport system, energy supply system and water infrastructure, and upgrade the regional infrastructure network.

4. Pursue innovation-driven development, enhance technological innovation cooperation, construct a coordination and innovation system, and create an innovation-friendly environment in the region.

5. Enhance regional utility cooperation in areas such as education, culture, health care, human resources, social security, tourism, and social governance.

6. Cultivate new strengths in global competition, participate in the Belt-and-Road initiative, make full use of the demonstrative role of free-trade pilot areas, and construct port areas and special-purpose areas.

7. Coordinate efforts to bring about an ecological civilization, enhance cross-provincial water resource preservation, reinforce comprehensive air pollution controls, and improve coordinated preservation and control mechanism of ecological environment.

8. Recognize the special roles of Hong Kong and Macao, promote closer ties with mainland provinces and cities in areas of infrastructure, industry, cooperation platforms and utilities, and launch multi-layered exchanges and cooperation.

The Guideline also proposes the following guarantee measures for promoting regional cooperation:

1. The relevant authorities of the State Council should diligently enhance guidance and services for Pan-Pearl-River Delta regional cooperation, while people’s governments of the nine mainland provinces should enhance organization, improve working mechanisms, fulfill their roles and responsibilities, and finalize development planning jointly with Hong Kong and Macao.

2. Innovate and improve the cooperation mechanism, make full use of joint conferences of chief executives, and enhance the influence of Pan-Pearl-River Delta regional cooperation and development forums.

3. Establish funding for the cooperation, support development of Pan-Pearl-River Delta regional development foundations, promote the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, and endorse the role of development financial institutions (DFIs) in Pan-Pearl-River Delta regional development.