Guangzhou is open to the world, says top political adviser

The top political adviser in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, has vowed to play an active role in united front work this year.

Su Zhijia, chairman of the 12th Guangzhou Committee of the Chinese People's Consultative Conference, said cooperation with other parties would be further improved and channels for expansion opened in the coming months.

He made the remarks in front of an audience of more than 500 people at the opening ceremony of the first session of the city's 13th CPPCC Guangzhou Committee on Wednesday.

"The city's CPPCC members, including those who come from Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, should join hands to put forward their valuable proposals to contribute to the construction of a world-class metropolis in the prosperous Pearl River Delta to compete in the world market this year," Su said.

Pearl River Delta cities, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Dongguan, Foshan, Jiangmen, Huizhou, Zhongshan and Zhaoqing, have played an increasingly important role in Guangdong's economic growth.

Su said the city's political advisers should further expand their contact and make friends with investors and business representatives from Taiwan to promote Chinese culture and expand cross-Straits economic cooperation.

He added that his committee would try to promote the greater involvement of overseas Chinese to help enhance cooperation between Guangzhou and the rest of the world.

"More efforts should be made to promote exchange and cooperation between Guangzhou and its overseas sister cities to further raise our reputation at home and abroad this year," he said.

The session will end on Sunday.