The GBA is an example of exceptional investment | SFC Market Talk

SFC Correspondent Yulai Yang at Shenzhen

Editor's note: Jeff Ruffolo is now the Professor of International Journalism at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies. He has lived in China for over 15 years and is also a longtime friend of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. During the 21st China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair (ICIF), he shared his insightful comments on the cultural development of the Greater Bay Area.

Jeff Ruffolo: I think the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is an example of exceptional investment and will be the future of South China. The Greater Bay Area, represents the most vital areas of economy in China, especially having Guangzhou and Hong Kong linked together which had never been done before. How was it done? It's amazing. Think of the high-speed rail trains back and forth every day, that's only going to get better and faster. What's coming are the magnetic trains in which you could go from Guangzhou South railway station to Hong Kong in 15 minutes. It's ratcheting up and there will be nothing else like it in the world.

One of the ways that it will be led is academics. The other day I was at the Higher Education Mega Center in South Guangzhou. There is nothing else like it. It literally is a place for giant people to live and study. Education, the ability to improve oneself in their career will be the linchpin of success in the South China area, with Shenzhen in the middle. Great universities, terrific academic studies, and it will be unlike anything else.

In the world of accessibility, AI will free up humans to go and explore the culture, the Lingnan culture of South China in a way they never could before. The accessibility of cuisine, culture, art, history, language, science will be available to people immediately, instantly on this type of phone device, laptop, or other devices which have yet to be created, but will be very soon, where literally it'll be on your wrist, it'll be a hologram, and you'll be able to walk around and explore the culture, the ancient culture of 2000 plus years ago, the Lingnan culture of South China.

China is open to everybody. It's wide open. What needs to be communicated is “come, it's safe, the food is great, the people are wonderful”, the hotels are fantastic. It's not all that expensive and you can get a visa and stay here for a year. And be part of China. It's inviting the international community to come here and experience what I've been blessed with for 25 years.

I've been part of that communication. I came full-time in 2007 to work for the Beijing Olympics. I was the only foreigner that China invited to work at the senior level of the Olympic Games. Then I came to Guangzhou, did the same work at the Asian Games. If people want to come and be part of, not to tear down, not to destroy, not to complain, but to be part of the system, to be able to say to people, you're important, what you're doing is important, I want to be part of that, I want to help. China will do that. China will allow you to come and be their friend, a true friend.

Chief Producer: Yu Xiaona

Supervising Producer: Shi Shi

Editor: Li Yinong

Reporter: Yang Yulai, Intern Li Youjin

Video Editor: Li Qun

New Media Coordination: Ding Qingyun, Zeng Tingfang, Lai Xi, Huang Daxun

Overseas Operations Supervising Producer: Huang Yanshu

Overseas Content Coordinator: Huang Zihao

Overseas Operations Editors: Zhuang Huan, Wu Wanjie, Long Lihua, Zhang Weitao

Produced by: Southern Finance Omnimedia Group