In 1992, Deng Xiaoping with his entourage came south and made an inspection tour of the Pearl River Delta. He liked what he saw and the rest is history.
Hong Kong and Guangdong province joined forces and with the blessing of Deng Xiaoping and the central government, Hong Kong industry moved en masse into the delta.
These days we often hear international traders referring to the delta as China's "workshop to the world".
This year, 20 years later, China's newly elected general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Xi Jinping, chose Guangdong and the delta as his first inspection tour destination.
He seemed determined to emphasise continuity in China's opening up and reform policy, and its modernisation and innovation drive.
During Deng's time, the Hong Kong factor of transplanting its factories to the delta was crucial to the country's opening up and reforming.