This lecture discusses the unique role that Guangzhou plays in the Greater Bay Area (GBA). Situated in the south of China, Guangzhou is a historical and culturally inclusive city. Guangzhou has been a pivot for commercial and cultural exchanges between China and the world since antiquity. Since a few hundred years ago, Guangzhou has formed a tradition of being open to foreign ideas, with a developmental focus on international trade. This tradition has been preserved up to this day. In the new era of China’s opening-up and reform, Guangzhou needs to reposition itself within the Greater Bay Area. If Hong Kong is designated as a financial hub and Shenzhen a center of technological innovation, then Guangzhou is a city dedicated to human development for citizens of the GBA. Compared to Hong Kong and Shenzhen, Guangzhou has an edge on the living cost, public services, and industrial complexity. These factors allow Guangzhou to be inclusive of people of different levels of income and background.