TRADE Secretary Cristina Roque wants stronger trade and investment ties between the Philippines and China’s Greater Bay Area (GBA).
The GBA is a megalopolis in southern China comprising the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, as well as nine cities in Guangdong Province: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Huizhou, and Zhaoqing.
Roque, speaking at the GBA-Asean Summit 2026 on June 30 in Hong Kong, positioned the Philippines as a “natural gateway” to the Greater Bay Area, citing a 15.2 percent export surge in 2025 and continued growth this year, driven by semiconductors, electronics, and renewables.
“As Asean Chair this year, the Philippines is working round the clock with our regional partners to build stronger, more resilient, and more connected economies. We see the Greater Bay Area as an important partner in this effort, especially in trade, innovation, digital services, and investments that create real opportunities for our people,” Roque said.
She also highlighted investor reforms including the Create More Act, Green Lanes for Strategic Investments, and Republic Act 12252, which allows foreign investors to lease private land for up to 99 years.
“Just as the GBA serves as a critical economic engine for its region, the Philippines is open and ready to be your strategic partner of choice in entering the Asean market,” Roque said.
The GBA-Asean Summit 2026 is billed as a “super-connector” between the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Southeast Asia.
The Department of Trade and Industry, through the Philippine Trade and Investment Center-Hong Kong (PTIC-HK), facilitated participation in the summit, which drew government and business leaders from Hong Kong, the GBA, and Asean to discuss regional growth opportunities.
“With our Foreign Trade Service Corps and 21 offices worldwide, including our Philippine Trade and Investment Centers, we stand ready to connect Greater Bay Area enterprises with prospective business partners in the Philippines,” Roque said, encouraging the private sector to pair Hong Kong’s strengths in finance, technology, and connectivity with the Philippines’ young, skilled workforce to create jobs and expand industries.
In 2025, Asean was Hong Kong’s second-largest trading partner, with total merchandise trade reaching HK$1.6685 trillion (about $213.9 billion), or 15.3 percent of Hong Kong’s total global merchandise trade.
The Philippines ranked as Hong Kong’s fifth-largest trading partner among Asean member states, and 13th globally, with total trade valued at HK$122.292 billion (about $15.678 billion).