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The “Greater Bay Area Chinese Forum” was held on March 23, 2019 at CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute (SZRI), which was organized by the Research Centre for Linguistics, SZRI, co-organized by the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, CUHK, the Department of Chinese, Sun Yat-sen University, and the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, University of Macau, and sponsored by T. T. Ng Chinese Language Research Centre, Institute of Chinese Studies, CUHK.

The “Greater Bay Area Chinese Forum” was the first gathering of representatives of the community of Chinese linguistics and literature from the related departments and units of all the universities within the region since the launch of the development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It was also the first conference on Chinese teaching and learning in the name of the Greater Bay Area, bringing together over fifty participants – including deans, chairpersons, representatives, among others – from the related departments of the universities within the region to share practical experience in Chinese teaching and learning, discuss its position and future, and explore new directions.

Prof. FAN Changxi, Department of Chinese, Sun Yat-sen University; Prof. XU Jie, Department of Chinese Language and Literature, University of Macau; Prof. TANG Sze Wing, Department of Chinese Language and Literature, CUHK; Prof. SHAO Jingmin, Jinan University; and Prof. HUANG Xing, Research Centre for Linguistic Sciences, Beijing Normal University (Zhuhai) and Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai gave plenary speeches at the Forum.

Besides, there were two theme-based seminars held at the Forum, namely “Jointly Developing a Cultured Bay Area: the Position and Future of Chinese Departments and Units” and “Improving International Competitiveness: the Development and Prospect of Chinese Linguistics”, respectively. During the seminars, the attendees further discussed several issues, such as tradition and creativity, regional diversity, course design, and resources sharing, raising many ideas and concrete suggestions. It was agreed to establish a consortium for Greater Bay Area Chinese, which will be a platform for all the related departments and units in the region to exchange thoughts and develop closer academic cooperation.

Prof. CHENG Hon Ki Christopher, Director of SZRI, delivered the closing speech and pointed out that that as a very special event of the representatives from all the related departments and units in the Greater Bay Area, the Forum was of great significance for promoting cooperation and exchanges of the universities, facilitating Chinese studies within the region, and advancing the development of the region. This exactly corresponded to the long-standing role played by SZRI, namely a pivotal platform for Shenzhen and Hong Kong in terms of the integration of science and technology, as well as to its mission: contributing to the innovation in science and technology, the cultivation of talents, and economic development not only in the Greater Bay Area, but also in the whole nation.