At around 8 a.m. on workdays, Macau resident Cheong spends less than one minute crossing the border to Zhuhai in neighbouring Guangdong province via Qingmao, the fifth land border checkpoint linking the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) with the Chinese mainland.
With simplified customs clearance procedures, the checkpoint, which opened last September and operates round the clock, boasts 50 automated inbound channels for passenger clearance services and 50 automated outbound channels, with two staffed counters operating in each direction.
At almost the same time, Macau resident Ho Kok Tou drives to work at an information technology firm located in Zhuhai’s Hengqin island, which is adjacent to Macau
Currently, over 2,000 vehicles with Macau licenses cross the Hengqin checkpoint each day thanks to the policy allowing Macau-licensed vehicles to cross the border since the end of 2016.
Since 2017 when the framework agreement on the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) was signed, connectivity has been continuously improved to help Macau better integrate into the country’s overall development.
In September last year, the central authorities issued a plan to build the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, making the island an important new growth point for Macau’s economy.
Edmund Sheng Li, associate dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Macau (UM), told Xinhua that infrastructure connectivity, mainly represented by modern comprehensive transport systems, is vital to regional integration and development within the resource-rich GBA
In March 2021, construction was launched to extend Macau’s light rail transit (LRT) line into Hengqin. It is planned to operate as a shuttle between the two sides upon completion scheduled for 2025. Research is also underway to link Macau with Hengqin by ferry.
In Hengqin, several bridges and undersea tunnels are under construction to better link the island with other parts of Zhuhai, particularly its airport.
In the meantime, Macau has also made efforts to improve its “soft connectivity” with Guangdong in terms of investment, trade, flow of personnel and customs clearance.
A new project has been launched in Hengqin to offer residential and business units as well as supporting facilities to Macau residents, with their education, medical and community services all connected with those of Macau.
An online platform has also been launched to settle cross-border arbitration cases under the new model of mutual discussion, joint construction, joint administration and shared benefits between arbitration institutions in Macau and Guangdong.
“Connectivity of rules and mechanisms guarantees market integration and efficient flow of other key elements in the Greater Bay Area,” Sheng said. “Macau’s effort to explore the ‘greatest common divisor’ of ‘soft connectivity’ under different systems can provide a useful reference for the linkage of different market mechanisms.”
Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng said in his 2022 Policy Address that the local government will speed up drafting major supporting policies for building the in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, including special measures to relax market access in the zone, as well as a list of the first batch of authorised items and encouraged industries.
The MSAR government will also actively participate in the setting-up of a legal system in the cooperation zone, deepening exchanges and cooperation in the areas of law and the judiciary with Guangdong, and improving the dispute settlement mechanism, Ho said.
Ip Kuai Peng, pro-rector of the City University of Macau, said that building the in-depth cooperation zone is the top priority for Macau to participate in the development of the GBA and promote connectivity within the area.
Ip said connectivity means improving Macau’s accessibility and promoting institutional innovations so as to facilitate policy coordination and linkage of plans in the fields of law, science and technology, finance, business and people’s livelihood within the GBA.
– Xinhua, MPD
Hengqin's skyline in 2021 - Photo courtesy of ZG
