In order to support and promote the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has recently requested the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to issue four documents: the Hengqin Plan, the Qianhai Plan, the Hengqin Special Measures and the Business Environment Action Plan. On the morning of December 28, at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office, Guo Lanfeng, a member of the Party Leadership Group of the National Development and Reform Commission, said that the National Development and Reform Commission will work with relevant departments and localities to make every effort to implement the document and promote the steady and far-reaching construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
All work in Hengqin should reflect Macao's concerns
Among them, the "Hengqin Plan", the full name of which is the "Overall Development Plan for the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin", is a comprehensive plan for the implementation of the "Master Plan for the Development of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin", which gives full play to the role of the "baton" and clarifies several goals, including the number of Macao residents working in Hengqin, the number of Macao residents living in Hengqin, the number of Macao-funded enterprises producing and operating in Hengqin, and the added value of Macao's assets and industries in Hengqin, etc., and strives to guide the work of Hengqin to the original intention of serving Macao.
Guo Lanfeng introduced that the Hengqin Cooperation Zone is to serve the moderate diversification of Macao's industries, and the implementation of the "four communists" mechanism - consultation, joint construction, joint management, and sharing, all work in Hengqin must reflect Macao's concerns.
In the process of compiling the "Hengqin Plan," more than 60 staff members of the Executive Committee, including Macao, participated in the preparation of the plan, and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) regularly communicated and negotiated with the Macao and Guangdong authorities, and also listened to the opinions of various circles in Macao, including Macao residents, Macao administrative personnel, and Macao enterprises, through various means. After the planning of the document matured, the opinions of the Macao SAR Government were specifically sought.
"In the planning process, we used this way to show our focus on Macau. For example, an important goal of the Hengqin Cooperation Zone is to promote the integrated development of Hengqin and Macao, and the document clearly states that the "one river and two banks" cooperation axis between Hengqin and Macao will be integrated and interactive, and that Hengqin and Macao will move from homogeneity to integration, and that it is required to build a three-dimensional transportation system for Hengqin and Macao, smooth the transportation links between Macao, open ferry routes, and build intelligent ports. Another example is that Macao society is highly concerned about the implementation of "separate line management" and the convenient cross-border flow of people, goods and other elements. Hengqin will soon implement "first-line liberalization and second-line management". In the plan, after the "second line" customs closure, smart supervision, credit supervision, classified supervision, and risk supervision will be implemented, and a customs supervision system suitable for the development of Hengqin will be built. At the same time, in response to the question of whether the food products that Macao residents are concerned about can be easily imported into Hengqin, the plan proposes to continue to deepen the cooperation in food safety supervision and control of Macao-made products imported from the mainland, so as to facilitate more Macao-made food products to enter the Co-operation Zone.
For example, Macao residents are particularly concerned about the convenience of living in Hengqin. At present, about 4,000 sets of Macao New Neighborhood in Hengqin, which are specially built for Macao residents, have been put on sale, and the community has built Macao characteristic schools, health stations, and elderly service centers. In the plan, a series of measures have been put forward to facilitate Macao residents to live and live in Hengqin, including the construction of more neighborhoods that converge to Macao's life, and the extension of Macao's public services such as education, medical care, elderly care and employment to Hengqin.
The Qianhai Co-operation Zone fully supports Hong Kong in consolidating and enhancing its competitiveness
The Qianhai Plan, also known as the Overall Development Plan for the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone, is a systematic and comprehensive arrangement for the implementation of the Plan for Comprehensively Deepening the Reform and Opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. Guo Lanfeng introduced that the Qianhai Plan has two characteristics: it always highlights the cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, serves Hong Kong, formulates policies, plans reforms and lays out projects around serving Hong Kong, and fully supports Hong Kong to consolidate and enhance its competitive advantages, and insists on focusing on the development of modern service industries such as finance.
Guo Lanfeng said that these two characteristics are the "foundation" of the Qianhai Cooperation Zone. The full name of the Qianhai Cooperation Zone is "Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone". Qianhai is a place name, Shenzhen and Hong Kong are Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and the modern service industry is a field, which can be seen from this name, and the Qianhai Co-operation Zone fully supports Hong Kong's original intention of consolidating and enhancing its competitiveness.
He said that the modern service industry is one of Hong Kong's most advantageous industries, and the Qianhai Plan is a "fine stroke" for the concrete implementation of the Qianhai Plan issued in September 2021. In terms of highlighting Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), together with relevant localities, has fully listened to the views of all sectors in Hong Kong, and on this basis, has drawn up the Qianhai Plan, and at the same time solicited the views of the Hong Kong SAR Government. In terms of planning content, some indicators are designed, based on using these indicators to guide the construction of the Qianhai Cooperation Zone.
In terms of focusing on the development of the modern service industry, the document sets specific indicators such as "the added value of the modern service industry, foreign-related legal service institutions, and the number of overseas professionals filing and practising", and clearly focuses on the development of finance, exhibition trade and logistics, science and technology services, professional services, etc., and also puts forward specific support measures. For example, in the field of finance and taxation, the enterprise income tax will be levied at a reduced rate of 15% for eligible enterprises in Qianhai according to regulations, and the preferential catalogue of enterprise income tax will be adjusted in due course. In the field of convenient practice, professionals in the fields of finance, taxation, planning, culture, tourism and other fields with Hong Kong, Macao or international professional qualifications are encouraged to provide services in Qianhai after filing or registration.
Listen to the opinions of business entities and focus on solving the problems raised by enterprises
The Three-Year Action Plan for the Development of a World-class Business Environment in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Business Environment Action Plan) highlights the "three combinations": the combination of macro and micro approaches, the combination of goal orientation and problem orientation, and the combination of integrated promotion and demonstration and guidance.
Guo Lanfeng said that the National Development and Reform Commission and relevant departments analyzed the current situation and problems of the business environment in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and listened to the opinions of all parties, especially the opinions of business entities. Focus on solving the problems raised by enterprises, and deploy "4 major environments and 1 major projects".
In terms of market environment, it is proposed to optimize the market access environment, maintain the market order of fair competition, and reduce the production and operation costs of enterprises with the goal of unified, efficient, and orderly competition. For example, we will study the abolition or relaxation of access restrictions for Hong Kong and Macao investors, promote the implementation of special measures to relax market access in Hengqin, Nansha, Shenzhen and other places, and clean up and cancel the differential treatment faced by Hong Kong and Macao enterprises.
In terms of the government environment, it is proposed to standardize the operation of administrative licensing, accelerate the construction of a service-oriented government, optimize enterprise-related services, and promote the sharing of government affairs data with the goal of standardization, convenience, openness and transparency. For example, we will promote the sharing and mutual recognition of information resources in the Bay Area, the "same standard for colleagues" in government services, the promotion of "one network for all" and "enjoy without application", and improve the normalized government-enterprise communication mechanism and complaint handling mechanism.
In terms of the rule of law environment, it is proposed to improve the quality and efficiency of supervision, strengthen the creation, application and protection of intellectual property rights, and improve diversified dispute resolution mechanisms with the goal of fairness, justice and healthy development. For example, we will improve the new credit-based regulatory mechanism, strengthen cross-regional and cross-departmental cooperation in the enforcement and protection of intellectual property rights, and explore allowing Hong Kong-funded and Macao-funded enterprises to choose Hong Kong and Macao as the seat of arbitration.
In terms of an open environment, it is proposed to aim for smooth circulation and win-win cooperation, enhance the attractiveness of "bringing in", enhance the competitiveness of "going out", build an international talent highland, and promote inclusive and inclusive innovation. For example, we will give full play to the special status and role of Hong Kong and Macao in the country's opening up, promote the deep integration of enterprises in the Greater Bay Area into the global industrial and supply chains, and implement special support policies for Hong Kong and Macao talents.
At the same time, the Action Plan also focuses on accelerating the level of market integration in the Greater Bay Area, and proposes specific measures to enhance the convenience of cross-border customs clearance, promote the interconnection of financial markets, promote the commonality of cross-border facilitation practices and industry standards, and facilitate Hong Kong and Macao residents to develop and live in Guangdong.
Hong Kong and Macao tourist guides will be allowed to practice cross-border and improve people's livelihood facilities and services
The "Hengqin Special Measures", the full name of which is the "Opinions on Supporting the Relaxation of Special Measures for Market Access in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin", is mainly aimed at better building a market access system and market environment that promotes the moderate diversification of Macao's economy. The "Hengqin Special Measures" focus on six major areas, namely modern finance, cultural tourism, scientific and technological innovation, medicine and health, professional services and other fields, all of which are key industries for Macao's future development.
First of all, it focuses on Hengqin's special positioning and precisely promotes the diversified development of Macao's industries. Guo Lanfeng introduced that cultural tourism is an industry with Macao characteristics and has a competitive advantage, so it is specifically proposed in the special measures to allow Hong Kong and Macao tour guides to practice cross-border, allow tourist buses in Macao's single-license commercial vehicles to enter and exit Hengqin, and delegate the administrative examination and approval authority for foreign-related commercial performances involving Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, so as to actively guide the healthy development of the cultural and tourism industry.
Secondly, it will focus on optimizing people's livelihood facilities and services such as the "Macao New Neighborhood", so as to facilitate Macao residents to live, start businesses and work in Hengqin. For example, the document proposes to improve the two-way cross-border referral cooperation mechanism between Hengqin and Macao, optimize the referral process, and better solve the practical difficulties of Macao residents in seeking medical treatment. Another example is to allow the installation of smart terminals for Macao government services in specific areas of Hengqin, so that Macao residents residing in Hengqin can handle government service matters without returning to the island, and to allow the installation of electronic smart counters and service windows of mainland branches of banks of Macao, so as to facilitate residents to withdraw and deposit money.
Thirdly, we should focus on breaking the barriers to market access and promote the gathering of more international high-quality resources. The document proposes that in order to better attract outstanding talents at home and abroad, the model of "living in Macao, working in the Co-operation Zone" and "scientific research in Macao and transforming in the Co-operation Zone" should be innovatively implemented. Research and establish a "white list" of R&D items for scientific research pilot units in the cooperation zone, and exempt the entry of scientific research equipment, samples, reagents, consumables and other materials in the cooperation zone from compulsory product certification.
Finally, we should focus on the convergence of rules and the guidance of reform to promote the integrated development of Hengqin and Macao. Give full play to the important role of Hengqin's opening up window to the outside world, and promote a higher level of institutional opening-up. The document proposes to support enterprises in key industries to jointly establish an international green energy certification center registered in Macao and operating in the Co-operation Zone, focusing on the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Portuguese-speaking countries and countries jointly building the "Belt and Road".
Beijing News reporter Chen Lin
Edited by Fan Yijing and proofread by Wu Xingfa