Political advisor urges 'National Games model' to build GBA exhibition brand

Dr. Ken Chu, a national political advisor and chairman of Mission Hills Group, has submitted a proposal calling for the promotion of the “National Games model” to create a globally competitive exhibition and convention brand for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

Dr. Ken Chu

The 15th National Games, jointly hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in 2025, achieved breakthroughs in cross-border coordination under the framework of “one country, two systems,” Chu said in his proposal to the ongoing annual session of China’s top political advisory body.

Through institutional innovation and collaborative organization, the event has realized seamless cooperation in event management, customs clearance facilitation and public participation, generating strong spillover effects and offering a replicable model for regional cooperation, according to Chu.

Drawing on this successful experience, Chu proposed establishing a coordinated mechanism for GBA exhibition development to enhance integration among the region’s major cities, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, as well as Zhuhai and Dongguan.

The GBA hosts more than 1,000 exhibitions annually, spanning technology, trade, culture, aviation and the arts, with flagship events such as the China Import and Export Fair, China Hi-Tech Fair, Art Basel Hong Kong and the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition. However, most exhibitions are organized independently by individual cities, limiting synergies in scheduling, agenda coordination and resource sharing.

To address this, Chu suggested the creation of a “Greater Bay Area Exhibition Coordination Committee,” jointly led by relevant national ministries and the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. The committee would oversee strategic planning, policy alignment and standards setting, while encouraging cross-sector alliances among trade promotion bodies, industry associations and exhibition enterprises.

He also recommended launching themed exhibition clusters, such as “Technology GBA,” centered on the China Hi-Tech Fair in Shenzhen, “Trade GBA,” anchored by the China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, “Art GBA,” built around Art Basel Hong Kong, “Aviation GBA,” based on the Zhuhai Airshow and “Culture GBA,” featuring the China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair.

Coordinated scheduling and joint promotion would allow global exhibitors and buyers to attend multiple events across cities in a single trip, forming a “one theme per month” exhibition season.

Chu also proposed introducing a special development fund to support joint promotion and service upgrades, as well as adopting facilitation measures modeled on the National Games experience. These include “pre-clearance and closed-loop management” for exhibition materials, simplified cross-border travel procedures for exhibitors and professional visitors, and dedicated transportation links connecting venues with airports, ports and high-speed rail stations.

He further suggested building an integrated digital service platform for the GBA's exhibition industry, offering unified services such as information release, online registration, qualification verification, travel planning, accommodation booking and cross-border payment.

Strengthening exhibition coordination would consolidate the GBA’s position as an international exhibition hub and present another successful example of regional innovation under “one country, two systems,” showcasing the GBA’s role in advancing Chinese modernization, Chu said.