On October 22, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a visit to Zhuhai, a coastal city and a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in south China's Guangdong Province.

As a vibrant economic engine, Guangdong has helped drive China's economic development for the last four decades. Guangdong alone accommodates three of China's five SEZs – Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Shantou.

It was Deng Xiaoping who was behind the establishment of SEZs and the opening-up policy. In his famous southern tour of 1992 to Guangdong, Deng sent a strong message for reform and opening up amid outcry for orthodox socialism: Only reform and opening up can save China! The country and the people need reform and opening up. He also asked local government leaders to insist on development being the absolute principle.

It was Deng's outspoken speech during his southern tour that triggered a wave of opening up across China.  

While Guangdong Province and the special administrative regions (SARs) of Hong Kong and Macao are at the forefront of China's opening up, economic integration among them is a natural choice.

During his visit, President Xi also attended the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, a key part of the region's traffic connectivity infrastructure.

The bridge will robust exchanges of people, a surge in the flow of goods and capital among Guangdong and the two SARs, and play a unique role in the development of the Greater Bay Area (GBA), an important part of China's new development strategies.

Xi's presence at the ceremony signals that the central government is supportive of the integrative development of the GBA.

Thanks to its superb geo-economic location, technological innovation and government support, a first-class GBA will emerge on the Pearl River (Zhujiang) Delta in a decade or so.

Following Deng Xiaoping's steps, Xi Jinping conducted his first inspection tour of the area after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012.

If Xi's Guangdong tour six years ago was a tribute to Deng's opening-up policy, his 2018 trip has sent a clear message for further opening up.

At a time of economic downturn associated with structural reshuffles, as well as an unprecedented trade war waged by the US against China, the continuation of reform and opening up is what is most needed.