Source: People's Daily Overseas Edition
Macau (front) and Zhuhai Hengqin.
Photo by Chen Xianyao (published by Xinhua News Agency)
"I usually live in Macau, and there are many projects operating in Hengqin, so I have to go back and forth every now and then. Now it is very convenient to travel between the two places, almost like commuting in the same city, and I can even cross the border. It's all 'silky'." Speaking of Hengqin's development, Liu Zhilong, chairman of Macau Chuangshi Enterprise Group Co., Ltd., was quite emotional. Over the years, he has watched Hengqin "grow taller" and "grow up" day by day, emerging into a vibrant modern new city.
html Thirteen years ago, the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone (hereinafter referred to as the "Cooperation Zone") was established, pressing a shortcut button for the development of Hengqin. As a new growth pole full of vigor and vitality in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Hengqin has closely adhered to its strategic positioning and development plan over the past three years, accelerating its development into a regional development demonstration zone with Chinese characteristics and demonstrating the advantages of "one country, two systems" to better assist Hengqin. Macao accelerates its integration and continues to create better conditions for Macao to integrate into the overall development of the country.The level of openness continues to improve
Starting from 0:00 on March 1 this year, the cooperation zone will officially implement separate line management and closed operations. At present, Hengqin has been closed for nearly half a year, making it easier for people to enter and exit, making logistics and capital flow more efficient, and "Qinqin-Macao integration" accelerating.
"After Hengqin implements line management, enterprises can enjoy tariff and value-added tax exemptions on the import of self-use instruments and equipment. This can reduce procurement and operating costs for enterprises like us that need to import a large number of advanced instruments and equipment." Chen Jian He is the person in charge of a technology company in Hengqin. He said that the introduction of similar measures has allowed them to enjoy tangible dividends and truly feel the attractiveness of Hengqin's policies and its increasing level of openness.
In order to give full play to Hengqin's important role as a window for opening up to the outside world, relevant documents such as the "Overall Development Plan for the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone" and "Opinions on Supporting Special Measures for Relaxing Market Access in the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone" proposed that We will work hard to connect with Macao and international rules and systems to promote a higher level of institutional openness. For example, we will support enterprises in key industries to jointly establish international green energy certification centers registered in Macao and operating in cooperation zones, focusing on the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Portugal. Language department and countries co-building the “Belt and Road” to carry out certification business, support the construction of Hengqin International Advanced Technology Application Promotion Center, build an advanced technology application and promotion platform, etc.
Today, Hengqin and Macao often jointly hold investment conferences or overseas inspection activities, especially to attract representatives from Portuguese-speaking countries to pay attention to Hengqin and visit Hengqin for exchanges, highlighting the "Macao platform + international resources + Hengqin space + achievement sharing" The advantages of industrial linkage development.
Various companies have set up shop
A few years ago, a Macau girl Huang Yin came to Hengqin and registered and established Bay Valley Technology Research (Zhuhai City) Co., Ltd. in Hengqin Macau Youth Entrepreneurship Valley to produce traditional Chinese medicine products developed by the Macau head office. . "According to regulations, traditional Chinese medicine products, food and health care products that are approved and registered in Macao and produced in the cooperation zone are allowed to use the 'Macao supervised manufacturing', 'Macao supervised production' or 'Macao design' logos. This is very important for Macao enterprises to Hengqin There is a strong attraction to settle down and develop,” she said.
Many Macau entrepreneurs starting businesses in Hengqin told reporters that Macau’s land resources are limited and it is difficult for enterprises to expand production capacity. Hengqin now allows companies to use signs such as "Macao Supervised Manufacturing" locally, which can not only retain relevant product brands and stabilize customers in the original market, but also expand production capacity and increase the scale of the company. In addition, the implementation of the "Macao tax" policy for Macao residents working in Hengqin and the launch of a convenient commercial registration and certification service mechanism have made it smoother for Macao companies to settle and operate in Hengqin.
Not only that, in recent years, the cooperation zone has planned and constructed industrial spaces such as the Macao Brand Industrial Park and the "Specialized, Specialized and New" high-end manufacturing industrial park, orderly guiding Macao traditional Chinese medicine and jewelry and diamond processing enterprises to operate and develop in the cooperation zone and expand production space. and expand market scale to better integrate into the development of cooperation zones.Data from
shows that as of the end of May this year, there were 6,346 Australian-funded operating entities in the cooperation zone, a year-on-year increase of 12.4%; the proportion of Australian-funded operating entities in all operating entities reached 10.8%, an increase of 1.0 percentage points from the same period last year; the number of Macau’s four universities National key laboratories have settled in Hengqin one after another, injecting more new momentum and vitality into the accelerated gathering of innovation elements in the cooperation zone.
The living environment is more comfortable
,000 housing units, more than 200 talent housing units, about 60 commercial shops, more than 4,000 car parking spaces, supporting schools, health stations, elderly service centers and family comprehensive service centers... Not long ago, "Macau New "Neighborhood" project welcomed the first batch of Macao residents to move in. This is the first comprehensive livelihood project for Macao residents built in partnership between Guangdong and Macao, integrating high-quality living space, education, health and social services.Wang Yun, a Macau resident who works in Hengqin, bought a two-bedroom apartment here. "The community facilities here are all set up according to Macau standards. Everyone says that living here is just like living in Macau. Especially after Hengqin closed the border, everyone can bring their favorite vegetables and fruits directly from Macau. , egg tarts, deli meats, etc., the happiness of life in Hengqin is higher.”
The construction of the “Macau New Neighborhood” project is an epitome of the accelerated integration of Hengqin and Macau. Data show that as of April this year, the number of Macao residents living in the cooperation zone reached 15,927, a year-on-year increase of 20.6%, and the number of employed people reached 5,009, a year-on-year increase of 25.6%. There are 1,296 cross-border practicing professionals, an increase of nearly three times compared with 2021. In 2023, there will be approximately 3.85 million Macao residents entering and exiting through Hengqin Port, and approximately 1.3 million Macao single-plate vehicles, representing year-on-year increases of 67.39% and 52.94% respectively.
Improving the cross-border public transportation lines within Hengqin Island and Hengqin-Macao, promoting the establishment of hospitals and schools with Macao characteristics, and building a 24-hour self-service center for Macao government affairs... The launch and implementation of a series of measures will allow Macao residents to travel in Hengqin It is more convenient to work and live in Hengqin. Many people call Hengqin their second home. (Reporter Chai Yifei)
"People's Daily Overseas Edition" (Page 01, August 06, 2024)
