Bay gala for festival

The 40-year-old Chang, born and raised in Guangzhou, Guangdong, graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and is known for writing the theme song of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, You and Me, which was performed at the opening ceremony by Chinese singer Liu Huan and British soprano Sarah Brightman.

The bay gala was announced during a three-week online shopping event dedicated to products from that area, which kicked off on Sept 2.

The shopping event is being jointly overseen by the Ministry of Commerce, the provincial government of Guangdong, and the liaison offices of the central government in Hong Kong and Macao, to promote the integration of the Bay Area and boost consumption.

The date, Sept 2, symbolizes the close relationship among major urban clusters in the area that include nine cities in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, according to the event organizers who say the area, which boasts many homegrown brands, ranks among the most open and economically vibrant regions in China.

Together with the shopping festival, the show will focus on the area and the concept of reunion, according to Duan Rong, director of the gala.

More than 100 stars and entertainers will perform in the gala, including martial arts star Jackie Chan, singer-songwriter Li Yuchun and Hong Kong pop star Alan Tam.