China's Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is witnessing an inbound travel rush as the ongoing 140th China Import and Export Fair, or Canton Fair, draws businesspeople to Guangzhou from around the world.
Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, has recorded an average daily inbound and outbound passenger flow of 62,000 person-times during the Canton Fair, up 17 percent year on year, according to the Guangzhou General Station of Immigration Inspection.
The traffic flow continues to grow, which is expected to peak on Thursday to Friday.
The Bao'an International Airport in Shenzhen, just one-hour high-speed rail journey from Guangzhou, has become the "first port of entry" for many foreign businesspeople.
Since October, 47,000 arrivals have been recorded at the port of the airport, up 14.5 percent year on year, an all-time high for the same period.
Special channels have been arranged at airports, ferry terminals and other entry points in the area, allowing fair exhibitors and buyers to complete entry and exit procedures conveniently.
Exclusive services including foreign language assistance and free airport shuttle buses are also provided for fair participants from arrival to exhibition.
The first phase of the 140th Canton Fair focusing on advanced manufacturing ended in on Monday, drawing 189,000 overseas buyers from 214 countries and regions, up 13 percent from the previous edition.
The second phase, featuring building materials, furniture and home decor, will be held from October 23 to 27, followed by the third phase highlighting toys, baby products, apparel, food, and smart healthcare from October 31 to November 4.
Canton Fair draws record inbound traffic to Greater Bay Area
Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang attended the inauguration ceremony of China National Data Group Co., Ltd., a new state-owned enterprise (SOE) directly administered by the central government, in Xiongan New Area, north China's Hebei Province, on Tuesday.
Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the establishment of the enterprise is of great significance for seizing opportunities in artificial intelligence, accelerating the building of Digital China, and fostering new competitive advantages for the country.
Headquartered in Xiongan New Area, the newly established enterprise is tasked with specializing in the development and utilization of data resources.
It is positioned as a national team for data services, a leader in data infrastructure connectivity and a strategic force for national data sci-tech innovation.
Ding urged the enterprise to improve data-related services, accelerate the development of data infrastructure, step up efforts to achieve breakthroughs in key and core technologies, and play a strategic, leading and supporting role in the data sector.
He also called on relevant government departments to step up support, local authorities to ensure the necessary resources, and related enterprises to strengthen cooperation to build a concerted effort to promote the development of the data industry.
Ding also inspected Xiongan New Area. During the inspection tour, he stressed the need to firmly adhere to the area's functional positioning and advance the relocation of Beijing's non-capital functions to Xiongan more effectively and in an orderly manner. He also called for stronger policy support and services to take the high-quality development of the area to a new level.
Chinese vice premier attends inauguration of state-owned enterprise focused on data
