BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The development plan of the Greater Bay Area in southern China has presented new opportunities for the deepening of cooperation within the region, said a commentary to be published Tuesday on People's Daily.

The Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was released on Monday, which includes the strategic positioning, development objectives, the spatial layout and other aspects of the project.

Following the programmatic plan, the building of a dynamic and internationally competitive bay area and a world-class city cluster will be realized through hard work, said the commentary.

The plan was designed to facilitate overall and long-term development.

The development of the Greater Bay Area will facilitate the implementation of the new concept of development, the further deepening of reform and opening up, the building of a new system of open economy in line with international standards, and the development of a new platform for high-level international cooperation, said the article.

Developing the Greater Bay Area is also a major decision to maintain the long-term prosperity and stability of the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions (SARs).

The project will facilitate the enrichment of the implementation of the "one country, two systems," create more opportunities for the socio-economic development of the two SARs and for Hong Kong and Macao compatriots wishing to develop careers on the mainland, said the commentary.

It called for innovation in building the Greater Bay Area, as it will be carried out under "one country, two systems," involving three customs territories using three different currencies, without any precedent to follow.

We must "free our minds, make active explorations and bold trials, and strive to play a pioneering role," said the article.