On-the-spot Report of the CPC Central Committee with the Supreme Leader as the Core Concerned about the Construction of Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone

The South China Sea is rising and the Pearl River is surging. On the land of South Guangdong, a hot land once again attracts the attention of the world.

On September 5, 2021, the Overall Plan for the Construction of Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council was released, and the fast-forward button was pressed for the Guangdong-Macao cooperative development of Hengqin under the new situation.

Accelerating the construction of Hengqin-Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone is a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with the Supreme Leader as the core, which is of great significance for enriching the practice of "one country, two systems", injecting important impetus into Macao’s long-term development, and promoting Macao’s long-term prosperity and stability and integrating into the overall situation of national development.

From the decision of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council in 2009 to the construction of Hengqin Guangdong-Macao deep cooperation zone, every step of Hengqin’s development has been devoted to the deep concern and ardent expectations of the Supreme Leader General Secretary.

At the beginning of twelve years, my heart felt like one, and the new journey was a total of chapters.

Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with the Supreme Leader as the core, and closely around the main line of promoting the moderate and diversified development of Macao’s economy, the construction of Hengqin Guangdong-Macao deep cooperation zone has been accelerated and a magnificent chapter has been written.

Based on the overall situation and sizing up the situation, we will make major strategic arrangements to accelerate the construction of Hengqin Guangdong-Macao deep cooperation zone.

A corner of Hengqin in Zhuhai (photo taken on September 13, 2020, photo of drone). Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Yuhua photo

Hengqin is located at the southern tip of Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, separated from Macao by water.

On October 14th, 2020, General Secretary of the Supreme Leader attended the 40th anniversary celebration meeting of the establishment of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and delivered an important speech, which gave Hengqin the strategic orientation of Guangdong-Macao deep cooperation zone.

The implementation scope of the cooperation zone is the customs supervision area between the "first line" and "second line" in hengqin island. Among them, Hengqin and Macao Special Administrative Region are set as a "first line"; Hengqin is set as a "second line" between Hengqin and other areas in People’s Republic of China (PRC) Pass. According to the objective reality of Hengqin Island, the cooperation zone is divided into different regions and managed by policies.

This piece of land with a total area of about 106 square kilometers has ushered in a new round of development opportunities.

This is a branch line management customs clearance facility in hengqin island (photo taken on September 18th, 2013). Xinhua News Agency reporter Wei Meng photo

A timeline, which runs through 12 years, marks the unchanging initial intention and unswerving practice of reform and opening up — —

The development of Hengqin is a national strategy, and the General Secretary of the Supreme Leader has always attached great importance to it.

"In the past 10 years, Hengqin New District has changed a lot from scratch. We must never forget our initial intentions, make this place full of innovation and development vitality, and promote the moderate and diversified development of Macao’s economy. " On October 22, 2018, General Secretary of the Supreme Leader visited Hengqin for the fourth time in 10 years.

The beginning of my heart, the butterfly change of the island, began in 2009. In January of that year, The Politburo Standing Committee (PSC), then the Communist Party of China and Vice President of the State, came to Hengqin. When meeting with representatives from all walks of life in Macao, he announced the good news that the central government has decided to agree to develop hengqin island.

Macao Peninsula in the morning light (photo taken on July 29, 2020, drone photo). Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Jinjia photo

During this meeting, the Supreme Leader stressed that in the process of development, full consideration should be given to the needs of Macao to achieve moderate and diversified economic development. "This will certainly bring new development space and opportunities for Macao, which is conducive to the long-term prosperity, stability and development of Macao’s economy."

2012年12月，最高领袖同志担任中共中央总书记后首次离京考察，来到广东，第二次来到横琴。他勉励横琴：“要发扬敢为人先的精神，先行先试，进一步扩大开放，勇于探索，勇于去闯，在体制机制创新方面，为粤港澳合作作出贡献”。

2014年12月，澳门回归祖国15周年之际，最高领袖总书记再次踏上横琴土地。

在澳门大学横琴新校区，最高领袖总书记和来自澳门、内地、台湾等地的学生们围坐在课桌旁，听取他们发言，对澳门青年开拓“一国两制”伟大事业寄予厚望：“这项事业需要继续探索、继续发展。这项任务将历史地落到你们肩上。希望青年人勇于担当、奋力开拓。”

2018年10月，最高领袖总书记在广东考察时第四次来到横琴。他强调：“横琴有粤澳合作的先天优势，要加强政策扶持，丰富合作内涵，拓展合作空间，发展新兴产业，促进澳门经济发展更具活力。”

2019年12月20日，最高领袖总书记出席庆祝澳门回归祖国20周年大会暨澳门特别行政区第五届政府就职典礼并发表重要讲话，指出“特别要做好珠澳合作开发横琴这篇文章，为澳门长远发展开辟广阔空间、注入新动力”。

A major deployment, based on the new conditions of the times, will push forward Guangdong-Macao cooperation in depth with greater reform courage and more powerful opening measures — —

The new journey of building a socialist modern country in an all-round way has begun, and Macao’s desire to deeply integrate into the overall situation of national development is even stronger. Exploring new development paths, opening up new development space and adding new development impetus for Macao is not only the proper meaning of "one country, two systems", but also the requirement of the times to comprehensively deepen reform and opening up.

After years of development, the gross domestic product of Hengqin region has increased from 285 million yuan in 2009 to nearly 40.7 billion yuan in 2020, with a total investment of 360 billion yuan in fixed assets, more than 55,000 registered commercial entities and more than 4,500 Australian-funded enterprises.

The solid foundation of cooperation, vast hinterland space, huge innovation potential and objective conditions of being surrounded by water and being convenient for supervision have created favorable conditions for Hengqin to explore the innovation of Guangdong-Macao cooperation system and open wider to the outside world.

In February 2019, the Outline of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Plan was released, proposing to accelerate the development and construction of major platforms such as Shenzhen Qianhai, Guangzhou Nansha and Zhuhai Hengqin, giving full play to their experimental and demonstration roles in further deepening reform, opening wider to the outside world and promoting cooperation, expanding the development space of Hong Kong and Macao, promoting the cooperation and sharing of public services, and leading the all-round cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.

This is the Hengqin Bridge in Zhuhai in Guangdong Free Trade Zone (photo taken on November 15, 2018, photo of drone). Xinhua News Agency reporter Deng Hua photo

Driven by a series of major central arrangements, it is timely to deepen the cooperation between Guangdong and Macao in developing Hengqin.

General Secretary of the Supreme Leader personally planned and guided the preparation of the overall plan. Since 2020, he has repeatedly given important instructions on the cooperative development of Hengqin between Guangdong and Macao, emphasizing the need to select the main direction of moderate and diversified economic development and related major projects, and take a multi-pronged approach from the aspects of policy, manpower and financial resources.

In April, 2021, General Secretary of the Supreme Leader presided over the The Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) meeting to review the overall plan.

At this meeting, the General Secretary of the Supreme Leader made an important instruction: We should make good use of Hengqin Cooperation Zone, an area where different rules and mechanisms coexist alternately, actively explore the convergence of rules and mechanisms between the two places, and explore experience for Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area’s market integration.

More powerful institutional innovation and opening-up measures, more distinct people’s livelihood orientation and industrial development orientation, Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone will bring new development opportunities to Hengqin and Macao, which are separated only by a strip of water, and will also bring new development impetus to Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area’s construction, and play a more active role in accelerating the formation of a new pattern of comprehensively deepening reform and opening up and enriching the practice of "one country, two systems".

This is the sea view room and swimming pool of Haiqin Bay Hotel in Zhuhai Changlong, located in Hengqin International Leisure Tourism Island (photo taken on April 19, 2019). Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Dawei photo

12 years of hard work, adhering to a heart, writing beautiful answers.

"Banana forests are green and farms are sparse" — — Recalling his first visit to Hengqin in 2009, General Secretary of the Supreme Leader described it in eight words.

Today, standing on the roof of Hengqin International Financial Center, which is more than 300 meters high, overlooking hengqin island, there are many avenues and tall buildings. From Hengqin to Macau, the urban skyline is connected into a whole, which is spectacular.

This is a panoramic photo of Zhuhai Tower, Hengqin International Financial Center Tower and other high-rise buildings and Macau in the distance, which was taken on September 13th, 2020. Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Yuhua photo

Hengqin in early autumn, warm wind blowing on your face. The construction of "Macao New Neighborhood" project is in full swing. As the first comprehensive livelihood project in Hengqin to build Macao residents and integrate high-quality living space, education, health and social services, the project has been fully started. In the next 5 to 10 years, it is estimated that 30,000 to 50,000 Hong Kong and Macao residents will work and live in Hengqin.

12 years of hard work, witnessing profound changes — —

Chinese and western cultures meet and mountains and seas blend. Hengqin island, separated from Taipa Island in Macau by water, stands the new campus of the University of Macau.

This is the Hengqin New Campus of the University of Macau (photo taken on December 11th, 2014). Xinhua News Agency reporter Wei Meng photo

As a landmark project of Guangdong-Macao cooperation under the framework of "one country, two systems" — — The total area of the new campus of the University of Macau Hengqin is 20 times larger than the original site. Teachers and students live in the mainland, and Macao laws apply, where the two systems collide and blend.

"The University of Macau is ‘ One country, two systems ’ Witness to successful practice in Macao. " Song Yonghua, president of the University of Macau, said. This university, which has been established for 40 years, has become an institution of higher learning with equal emphasis on teaching and research and a top ranking in Asia, and is at the forefront in the fields of chip research and development, quality research of traditional Chinese medicine, and Internet of Things in smart cities.

The change of the University of Macau is the epitome of the deep cooperation between Guangdong and Macao in Hengqin.

In 2009, Hengqin New District was established; In 2015, Hengqin District of Guangdong Free Trade Zone was listed; In 2019, Hengqin International Leisure Tourism Island started construction … … A series of major deployments have continuously empowered the development of Hengqin New District.

12 years of hard work, witnessing the take-off of wings — —

In 2018, in the first China Hengqin Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Competition, Macau youth He Guotao led the team to develop the "Puqiang AI Car Core Brain" project and won 100 million yuan of research and development expenses for free.

Today, in the Puqiang era of Hengqin Macau Youth Entrepreneurship Valley, the E-round financing has been completed and won the favor of many well-known investment institutions at home and abroad.

With scientific and technological innovation and industrial development as the main theme, Hengqin gives full play to its pivotal role in the construction of the Guangzhou-Zhuhai-Macao Science and Technology Innovation Corridor, and helps Macao’s science and technology resources to extend to the mainland.

At present, Hengqin has accumulated more than 600 innovative and entrepreneurial projects from Macao, and has built a demonstration base in Industry-University-Research with the University of Macau and Macau University of Science and Technology. All four state key laboratories in Macau have set up branches in Hengqin.

The "five horizontal and three vertical" trunk road network has been basically completed, and the underground comprehensive pipe network and information network have been fully put into use; Hengqin Advanced Intelligent Computing Platform, with a total investment of about 2 billion yuan, completed the first phase of construction, with a computing power of 11.6 billion times per second, which can provide computing services for more than 100 Guangdong and Macao technology enterprises, universities and R&D institutions.

More and more young Macao people come to Hengqin to realize their entrepreneurial dreams. The support behind it is Hengqin’s continuous improvement of infrastructure, continuous improvement of scientific research conditions, more convenient customs clearance conditions, and even more enterprising spirit of reform and innovation.

Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Industrial Park, Hengqin Macao Youth Entrepreneurship Valley and Guangdong-Macao Cross-border Financial Cooperation Demonstration Zone … … Brand-new platform carriers are accelerated to build, and the industrial energy level is constantly refreshed. In this promising land, the wonderful chapter from "breaking" to "creating" is interpreted.

The staff of Hengqin Branch of Bank of China displayed the electronic license bank card of the commercial subject (photo taken on November 15, 2018). Xinhua News Agency reporter Deng Hua photo

It took the lead in issuing "electronic license cards for commercial entities" in China, issuing the first temporary arbitration rules, taking the lead in implementing "Hong Kong people’s Hong Kong tax and Macao people’s Macao tax", launching the policy of Macao’s single-brand vehicles entering and leaving Hengqin, and launching a total of 622 reform and innovation measures, 11 of which were replicated and promoted nationwide … … The tide paddles and dances on the waves, playing a moving movement of reform and opening up in this dynamic land.

From a new starting point, we will work hard and be the first, and continue to inject new impetus into the practice of "one country, two systems"

2021 is the first year of the 14th Five-Year Plan, and it is also the first year for Macao to plan and implement the second five-year plan.

Macao, which has been hit hard by the COVID-19 epidemic, has a unitary economic development.The disadvantages are prominent, and it is urgent to further explore the road of moderate and diversified economic development.

When the The Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) meeting was held to consider the overall plan, General Secretary of the Supreme Leader stressed that it is necessary to focus on advantageous areas and sub-sectors of industries, select the main direction of moderate and diversified development of Macao’s economy, improve its attraction to all kinds of talents, and promote the optimization of Greater Bay Area’s economic development pattern. It is necessary to establish and improve the system and mechanism for Guangdong and Macao to jointly develop Hengqin, innovate the management mode, and promote the economic integration and development of Macao and Hengqin.

On December 11, 2020, visitors were at the "2020 Guangdong-Macao Famous Commodities Exhibition". Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Jinjia photo

"A new platform to promote the moderate and diversified development of Macao’s economy";

"A new space to facilitate the life and employment of Macao residents";

"Rich ‘ One country, two systems ’ A new demonstration of practice ";

"A new highland to promote the construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area".

The overall plan closely revolves around the main line of promoting Macao’s moderate and diversified economic development, and draws a blueprint for speeding up the construction of Hengqin Guangdong-Macao deep cooperation zone.

On August 18, 2020, the new passenger inspection area at Hengqin Port was opened with the new mode of "cooperative inspection and one-time release". Macao residents have great convenience in entering and leaving Hengqin. On the first anniversary of its opening, more than 6 million passengers and about 900,000 vehicles were released. Among them, the daily customs clearance of Macao single-brand vehicles accounts for more than 50% of the daily customs clearance of entry-exit vehicles at Hengqin Port.

According to the overall plan, the "first line" actively promotes the mode of cooperative inspection and one-time release of customs clearance on the basis of mutual agreement and ensuring safety, and continuously improves the level of customs clearance facilitation. At the same time, it is clear that the construction of special passages between the Hengqin Campus of the University of Macau and the Hengqin Port will be accelerated, and a new type of intelligent port will be explored between the Hengqin Campus of the University of Macau and the cooperation zone, which is highly convenient for teachers and students of the University of Macau to enter and leave the cooperation zone.

In the Hengqin utility tunnel Power Tunnel in Zhuhai, the staff of China Southern Power Grid operated the inspection robot to dynamically inspect the cable tunnel (photo taken on December 12, 2019). Xinhua News Agency reporter Liang Xushe

"After the opening of the new Hengqin Port, it only takes less than half an hour to drive from Macau to Hengqin Company. I look forward to more convenient customs clearance measures. " Cai Yuanbo, the founder of Xianhao Technology and a young Macao entrepreneur in Hengqin, said.

The "first line" of goods is released, the "second line" is managed, and people are highly convenient to enter and leave, and cross-border financial management is innovated & HELIP; … Between Macao and Hengqin, the flow of materials, personnel, capital and other factors is smoother, and the new integrated high-level opening system will inject sustained impetus into the development of the mainland and Macao.

Zeng Wanwen is a "post-80s" Macao youth. After returning from studying in Australia, she founded Chaoyi (Guangdong) Cold Chain Logistics Co., Ltd. in Hengqin. She is very optimistic about the opportunities brought by accelerating the construction of a new development pattern.

"Hengqin is backed by the hinterland of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and faces the world. It has excellent advantages in cross-border logistics." She said.

In-depth cooperation between Guangdong and Macao, institutional mechanism is the key. The overall plan is clear. Under the leadership of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Construction Leading Group, Guangdong and Macao jointly set up the Management Committee of the Cooperation Zone to make overall decisions on major planning, major policies, major projects and important personnel appointment and removal within the scope of their functions and powers. The Management Committee of the Cooperation Zone adopts a dual director system, which is jointly held by the Governor of Guangdong Province and the Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region. The overall plan also makes a series of innovative mechanism arrangements.

Ho Iat Seng, Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region, said in his policy address for the fiscal year 2021 in the Legislative Council of the SAR that the plan for the deep cooperation zone should be implemented in a down-to-earth manner in accordance with the deployment of the central authorities. With open and innovative thinking, we will create an innovative cooperation zone that combines the advantages of "two systems", is highly connected with international rules, promotes Macao’s moderate economic diversification, and serves the country’s opening up.

This is the photo of Hengqin Port (drone) taken on August 18th, 2020. Xinhua News Agency reporter Deng Hua photo

Ma Xingrui, governor of Guangdong Province, said that in the future, Hengqin will strengthen the connection with Hong Kong and Macao rules and mechanisms. Focusing on promoting the convenient and efficient flow of people, logistics, capital flow and information flow, we have given a series of pioneering and leading policies, made greater progress in the connection, penetration and accommodation of rules and mechanisms, and created a world-class business environment.

Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, a new highland is accelerating its rise.

By 2035 — —

The strong vitality and superiority of "one country, two systems" have been fully demonstrated, the economic strength and scientific and technological competitiveness of the cooperation zone have been greatly improved, the public service and social security system have been operating efficiently, and the system and mechanism for the integrated development of Qin and Macao have been improved, and the goal of promoting the moderate and diversified development of Macao’s economy has basically been achieved.

When the blueprint is drawn, the prospect can be expected. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with the Supreme Leader as the core, we will speed up the construction of Hengqin Guangdong-Macao deep cooperation zone and continue to write a new miracle of the times.

Reporter: Xu Jinpeng, An Bei, Liu Huan, Li Hanfang, Ye Qian, Wang Haoming.

Video reporter: Huang Guobao

Poster design: Pan Hongyu

New Media Editor: Meng Jie, Li Yu