BEIJING,Dec. 18,2024 -- A report from People's Daily: TheHengqin Line of the Light Rapid Transit (LRT),which connects China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) and Hengqin Island in Zhuhai,south China's Guangdong province,officially opened on Dec. 2 this year.

The line has two stations,Lotus Station in Macao SAR and Hengqin Station,with a total traveling time of only two minutes.

"The extension of the LRT network to Hengqin has enabled the rapid transfer to the Guangzhou-Zhuhai Intercity Rail,which had also been extended to link Hengqin Port. The interconnected rail system has further enhanced Macao's integration into the 'one-hour living circle' of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA)," said Raimundo Arrais do Rosario,secretary for transport and public works of Macao SAR.

Hengqin,located just across the river from Macao,enjoys a natural advantage for Guangdong-Macao cooperation. The Chinese central government decided to develop Hengqin Island in 2009. In 2021,the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone (hereafter referred to as "cooperation zone") was established in Hengqin to foster closer connection between Guangdong and Macao. After 15 years of development,Hengqin has become a vibrant hub for innovation and a frontier of opening up.

Calvin Sio,founder of Zence Object Technology,an innovative company dedicated to solving global waste problems,is a young entrepreneur from Macao. Starting in Macao,the company has expanded its presence to Guangdong province. It has set up an R&D headquarters in Hengqin,a sales center in Shenzhen,and a smart factory in Dongguan.

"The GBA offers young people from Macao a broader platform for entrepreneurship and more opportunities to collaborate with cities in the Chinese mainland. More and more Macao entrepreneurs are embracing new prospects in Hengqin and across the GBA," he said.

Today,in the cooperation zone,a new model of industrial synergy is taking shape,which integrates Macao's platforms,international resources,and Hengqin's development opportunities to yield shared results. The zone has entered a fast track of development,marked by accelerated aggregation of innovative elements for new quality productive forces. Enterprises are increasingly flocking to the zone,and the efforts to attract talent have delivered tangible results.

As of now,the cooperation zone has recognized the initial six innovation and entrepreneurship bases for Macao youth,and acknowledged 86 startups initiated by young entrepreneurs from Macao in two groups. To date,it has incubated 443 new projects based in Macao.

In recent years,Hengqin has experienced a remarkable enhancement in its overall strength and a deeper connection with Macao.

In 2023,the GDP of the cooperation zone reached 47.25 billion yuan ($6.49 billion). By the end of that year,the zone had hosted 5,952 Macao-invested enterprises,with their annual added value reaching 2.98 billion yuan,a year-on-year surge of 186.2 percent and 1.9 times of that in 2021.

In the first three quarters of 2024,the new industries that the cooperation zone specifically focuses on - scientific and technological R&D,high-end manufacturing,traditional Chinese medicine,culture and tourism,conventions and exhibitions,and modern finance - reported an added value of 18.31 billion yuan,accounting for 49 percent of the zone's total GDP.

Deepened people-to-people exchanges with mainland

Every weekend,vehicles heading north from Macao would flow through the streets near the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge,making their way to border checkpoints.

According to Ms. Deng,a Macao resident,her holiday plans often include jogging,rowing,and photographing in Hengqin,dining in Zhongshan,shopping in Jiangmen,or visiting attractions like Changlong. It has become a regular practice for people living in Macao to travel to the mainland.

In recent years,Guangdong and Macao have worked to facilitate infrastructure "hard connectivity" and rules and standards "soft connectivity," fostering a high-level,integrated system of opening up.

For instance,the "northbound travel for Macao vehicles" scheme have been jointly implemented by the two sides,which allows eligible Macao private cars to travel between Macao and Guangdong via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge without the need to obtain regular quotas.

Besides,passenger and cargo vehicles crossing the border checkpoint between Macao and the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin,Zhuhai,can utilize the one-stop customs clearance service as coordinated by the two sides instead of the previous respective checks.

Thanks to the mutual recognition and exchanges of driving licenses,the mainland and Macao will allow individuals holding valid driving licenses issued by authorities from either side to drive directly through or obtain driving permits on the other side without any additional tests.

These efforts have enabled a more efficient flow of people,goods and services between the two sides. Macao residents now enjoy greater convenience in their daily lives along with a wider range of job opportunities available on the mainland.

For example,Macao professionals in architecture,healthcare,pharmacy,education,and law have been provided with more preferential policies to work in Hengqin and the GBA. The vocational qualifications for chefs,beauticians,restaurant staff,and professionals in other service sectors are now mutually recognized by Macao and Guangdong.

Programs like the Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Scheme in the GBA,cross-boundary government services,and youth innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives continue to improve,making it easier for Macao residents to live and work on the mainland.

Platform for connection between China and PSCs

"Macao,a city that thrives by the sea,is an active participant,contributor,and beneficiary of the Belt and Road Initiative," said Cheong Chok Man,director of the Policy Research and Regional Development Bureau under the Macao SAR government.

He said that Macao is playing an increasingly important role as a bridge linking China with the Portuguese-speaking countries (PSCs).

Since the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao),also known as Forum Macao,was established in 2003,it has undergone two membership expansions,held six ministerial conferences,and developed six strategic plans for economic and trade cooperation.

Such cooperation has helped facilitate Macao's role as a commercial and trade service platform serving China and PSCs while bringing about greater opportunities for Macao's economic diversification.