The Understanding China Conference 2020, one of the most influential platforms 
for the world to learn about China's development strategy, closed on November 
22 in Guangzhou. It is the second time Guangzhou hosted the event, making the 
city an important window through which to observe China's new journey toward 
modernization. 

To understand China starts with a good understanding of Chinese cities. At this 
year's Conference, Guangzhou, a historical city with new vitality and fresh 
impetus emerging as a megacity, garnered great attention from all present, with 
many expecting to refer to the experience it gains in pursuing development. 

At the conference, delegates from home and abroad spoke highly of the inspiring 
adaptability of Guangzhou, as seen from its synergy-oriented connectivity with 
Shenzhen, the urban revitalization drive in its comprehensive function, 
cultural appeal, service and global business environment, and the city's 
accelerated quality efforts in promoting the provincial goal for coordinated 
development of the Pearl River delta as the core engine, the coastal eastern 
and western parts of Guangdong as new growth poles, and the mountainous 
northern part as ecological development zone.

Officials from Guangzhou said that Guangzhou would seize new opportunities to 
pursue transformation and upgrading and turn the negative impact of the 
pandemic into new drivers for economic transformation to sustain quality 
economic growth.

In the face of the pandemic and the complex economic situation, Guangzhou, as 
an international business and trade hub, is now reshaping its development 
paradigm by exploring new opportunities to secure its new advantages, 
development areas and growth drivers. This same historical city of commerce is 
going all out with great courage and efficiency to revitalize itself and help 
create a happy and prosperous everyday life for its residents.

Li Junru, executive vice president of the China Institute for Innovation and 
Development Strategy, expressed his high hopes for the city at the conference. 
He pointed out that historically China's national rejuvenation can be traced 
back to Guangzhou and the changes of the city reflect the development of the 
country. "The shift of China's economic center to the south and the further 
progress in developing the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area are both 
providing greater space for development," Li added.

Li's view can be proved with economic statistics and actual achievements. Data 
for the first three quarters of the year show that Guangzhou's growth of 
multiple indicators of Guangzhou's growth including regional GDP have turned 
from negative to positive with a 1.0% year-on-year increase and, in particular, 
an impressive 7.9% year-on-year increase in the third quarter, 7.0 percentage 
points up from the second quarter.

"Guangzhou's economic recovery is gathering momentum as production continues to 
pick up while demand continues to increase. New growth drivers are going 
strong, people's livelihood well safeguarded and leading indicators keep 
improving to positive or hitting new highs since the outbreak of the epidemic," 
said Feng Jun, deputy chief of Guangzhou Statistics Bureau.

"As a pioneer in reform and opening-up, Guangzhou serves as a window for the 
rest of the world to understand China's such endeavor. And this millennia-old 
city is now renewing itself. A key to understanding China is figuring out how 
this city pursues urban regeneration," Zheng Yongnian, dean of the Advanced 
Institute of Global and Contemporary China Studies, the Chinese University of 
Hong Kong, Shenzhen addressed the Conference. 

As the coronavirus is brought under control, China and its cities are returning 
to usual boom and buzz. At this critical transition, Guangzhou, a city of 
history and vitality, is once again, through this Understanding China 
Conference, facilitating a better understanding of this country.

Source: The Organizing Committee of the Understanding China Conference 2020 
(Guangzhou)