Zhang Yan, head of the First Office of Regional Strategy and associate researcher of the Regional Development Strategy Research Center of the National Development and Reform Commission, talked about the construction of the two cooperation zones: greater efforts to promote in-depth cooperation between Macao and Hong Kong

Source: Nanfang Daily

Recently, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued the "Overall Plan for the Construction of the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone" and the "Plan for Comprehensively Deepening the Reform and Opening Up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone".

Zhang Yan, head of the First Office of Regional Strategy and associate researcher of the Regional Development Strategy Research Center of the National Development and Reform Commission, believes that the promulgation of the two documents fully reflects the great importance and ardent expectations of the central government for the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the development of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. Hengqin and Qianhai will make use of their respective advantages and conditions to promote in-depth cooperation with Macao and Hong Kong, which will play an important demonstration and driving role in the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and even the deepening of reform and opening up throughout the country.

Inject new impetus into the construction of the Greater Bay Area

Nanfang Daily: What is the significance of the two important documents issued this time?

Zhang Yan: These two documents are another major layout of the country in regional development, another major deployment to enrich the practice of "one country, two systems", and fully reflect the great importance and ardent expectations of the central authorities for the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the development of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.

Hengqin and Qianhai will make use of their respective advantages and conditions to promote in-depth cooperation with Macao and Hong Kong, which is not only of great significance to the development of Hengqin, Qianhai and Zhuhai and Shenzhen, but also plays an important demonstration and driving role in further promoting the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and is also an important measure to support Hong Kong and Macao to better integrate into the overall situation of national development and promote the Greater Bay Area to take the lead in integrating into the new development pattern.

Nanfang Daily: What important missions do Hengqin and Qianhai undertake?

Zhang Yan: The original intention of building the Hengqin New Area is to create conditions for the diversified development of Macao's industries. The development of new industries that promote the moderate diversification of Macao's economy, the construction of a new home to facilitate the life and employment of Macao residents by strengthening urban operation cooperation, the liberalization of goods "first-line" and "second-line" management, and the improvement of the new system of guangdong-Macao joint consultation, co-management and sharing, etc., all have important reform exploration and practical value.

Qianhai also emphasized the tasks of promoting the innovative development of the modern service industry, accelerating the reform and innovation of the system and mechanism of scientific and technological development, creating a world-class business environment, deepening the liberalization of service trade with Hong Kong and Macao, and expanding the opening up of the financial industry, emphasizing that it will further take the lead in comprehensively deepening reform and opening up.

Nanfang Daily: Since the reform and opening up, from the establishment of special economic zones, coastal open cities to the development and opening up of the whole country, the region has grown from small to large. Nowadays, the country has once again focused on the key areas of important cities in the regional development layout, how to understand this change?

Zhang Yan: Over the past 40 years of reform and opening up, we have formed rich achievements and experience in reform and opening up through the construction of special economic zones, and gradually popularized them throughout the country. At present, towards high-quality development, the difficulty of reform and innovation has increased, the requirements are higher, and the tasks are more arduous. In this regard, the document has three characteristics, one is a strong forward-looking strategic plan; the other is a strong systematization in deepening reform; the third is a strong demonstration in the deployment of tasks, and it can better play an exemplary and leading role with "points" and "surfaces".

Provide new space for industrial development

Nanfang Daily: The focus of the two cooperation zones is different, Hengqin focuses on the new system of joint consultation, co-construction and sharing, and Qianhai has achieved a significant expansion of the area.

Zhang Yan: Exactly. Hengqin proposed to improve the new system of consultation, co-construction, co-management and sharing, which is a major breakthrough and can become a new demonstration of enriching the practice of "one country, two systems". In order to better play the advantages of the two places, it is necessary to continuously improve measures in terms of territorial management, rights and interests sharing, and industrial coordination, and achieve results.

Qianhai's "expansion" from less than 15 square kilometers to more than 120 square kilometers is conducive to more market players participating in Qianhai's reform and opening up, forming a diversified and innovative cooperation mechanism, and fully stimulating market vitality and potential.

Nanfang Daily: The Hengqin Cooperation Zone proposes to develop industries such as scientific and technological research and development and high-end manufacturing, which will play a role in the moderate diversification of Macao's economy and the construction of the west bank of the Pearl River?

Zhang Yan: Hengqin's development of scientific and technological research and development and high-end manufacturing industries, cultural tourism, exhibition and trade industries, etc., with more convenient personnel exchanges and factor flows to promote the agglomeration of elements in Guangdong and Macao, will help solve the problem of the single economic structure of Macao, and will also help enhance Hengqin's driving role as the engine of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao cooperation and development, further release the potential of Macao-Zhuhai poles, and accelerate the completion of the shortcomings of the west bank of the Pearl River in scientific and technological innovation and industrial development.

Nanfang Daily: Qianhai is focusing more on the development of modern service industries such as the financial industry, what is the significance of the long-term stable development of Hong Kong's international financial center?

Zhang Yan: Finance is an important field of modern service industry, and Qianhai should take the lead in exploring the interconnection with Hong Kong's financial market and the cross-border use of RMB through reform experiments and major policies. On the one hand, it is necessary to improve Qianhai's level of internationalization in the field of financial services, and on the other hand, it can also take this opportunity to further consolidate and enhance Hong Kong's status and role as an international financial center.

Supporting measures should be introduced as soon as possible

Nanfang Daily: What role will the development of Hengqin and Qianhai play in creating a new development pattern for Guangdong's strategic fulcrum?

Zhang Yan: The two cooperation zones are at the key intersection of domestic and international double circulation promoting each other, which plays a huge role in promoting double circulation, which is mainly reflected in three aspects. The first is to play the role of a power engine in system construction, the landing of key projects, and major reform experiments; the second is to play a pioneering role in major measures and major reforms in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and even the whole country; the third is to play a window and link role in docking Hong Kong and Macao and docking the international frontier.

Nanfang Daily: How should Guangdong promote the implementation of the two documents as soon as possible?

Zhang Yan: Guangdong shoulders many tasks to implement these two documents, including the formulation of a series of supporting policies, the formulation of cooperation lists, the promotion of major projects, and so on. In particular, as soon as possible in taxation, finance, industry, transportation docking and other aspects of the introduction of highly operational supporting policies, so that the two plans as soon as possible into specific systems, initiatives and projects, the major layout into a real new momentum of development.

Guangdong should also promote the linkage and coordinated development of the two cooperation zones with key platforms such as the Guangzhou Nansha Free Trade Zone, the Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City, and the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, so as to better promote the high-quality development of Guangdong and even the whole country.

Nanfang Daily reporter Wang Biao