The National Games, China's premier multi-sport event, opened in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, on November 9. This year's 15th edition of the games is the first to be co-hosted by the country's two special administrative regions, with Guangdong Province sharing its hosting responsibilities with neighboring Hong Kong and Macao.

This year's games are a landmark project in the development of the Greater Bay Area, a national initiative that enhances integration between Hong Kong, Macao and nine nearby cities in Guangdong Province, including Guangzhou. The joint hosting by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao has further broken down administrative barriers between the three regions, more fully aligning rules, standards and recognition of qualifications, and bringing about joint innovation in the management of sports and events.

At the same time, through the hosting of a top-level sporting event, the Greater Bay Area is showcasing its capacity as a world-class city cluster and developing practical, shareable experience for building a globally renowned platform integrating sports, technology and culture. The joint hosting of the games across regions involves complex coordination in areas such as entry and exit, customs, taxation, and security. The resulting collaborative mechanism will provide a Greater Bay Area model for future cross-regional governance. 

Under the One Country, Two Systems principle, while there is only one China, the mainland adheres to the socialist system and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan will retain their own capitalist systems for the long term. Within this governance framework, the ongoing National Games are a major driver for Hong Kong and Macao to integrate into the overall development of the country.

Their role as co-hosts not only reflects the solid support of the Central Government for these two regions, but also develops the sense of national identity and patriotic spirit among their residents, especially young people.

This edition of the National Games is not only a sports gathering, but also an experimental project to promote the common development and prosperity of Hong Kong, Macao and the mainland. It is a strategic project to serve the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The success of the games will have a positive impact on the integration process of the Greater Bay Area and the solid implementation of the One Country, Two Systems principle. BR