Cooperation | Zhuhai mayor envisages borderless region

Ling Jiang, Mayor of Zhuhai

Macau and its neighboring city of Zhuhai could go borderless in the future under the implementation of the Chinese government’s “One-
belt-one-road” economic initiatives and multiple free-trade zones, according to Ling Jiang, mayor of Zhuhai city, who also believes that the two-sided co- operation ought to be deepened at a non-official level.
After the first meeting of the year, where bilateral efforts to cooperate in multiple fields over the previous year were reviewed, the 50-year-old Zhuhai municipal governor, who took the post in January, has once again pledged to further beef up cooperation between the two cities, which he described as “complementary.”
“Both Secretary [Lionel] Leong and I perceive future collaboration between the two sides to hold enormous potential (…) and rare opportunities,” said Jiang, “especially now, when the central government has implemented the 21st-century ‘silk road’ and also the free-trade zone in Hengqin.”
To date, the number of local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have made investments in Zhuhai totals 1,284, which accounts for more than 40 percent of the overall number of foreign companies with investments in the city, revealed the Zhuhai mayor.
Ling Jiang also urged the local government to push for non-official interactions between the two cities, which would involve more public participation.
Aside from those proposals, Jiang hinted that he expected continued expansion of infrastructure and social projects built by Macau in Hengqin, such as the elderly care homes suggested by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture during the Policy Address.
“I suggest that the SAR government could extend its social services to the Hengqin region,” said the Zhuhai mayor, adding that local citizens who work or dwell in that particular area could also benefit from the services being introduced.
The remarks made by Lionel Leong echoed the Zhuhai leader’s comments after the almost two-hour conference. This was also the very first meeting between the two major officials since Leong came to office.
“[The mainland officials’ economic initiatives] indeed have brought fresh opportunities to Macau’s regional cooperation,” said the secretary. “Thus, let’s think of how we might manage to seize those chances and further them on the basis of former collaboration.”
The Secretary for Economy and Finance told media that he expected the central government to roll out more policy initiatives and developmental strategies in order to improve local social wellbeing, cross-
regional mega infrastructure and regional partnerships. Leung described those suggestions made in the discussion as “pragmatic” and “innovative.”
Lionel Leong also revealed that 17 out of the 33 projects that the local government had proposed to Hengqin have obtained the green light from the Zhuhai authorities.
The conference held yesterday morning mainly centered on topics relating to tourism promotion, environmental protection, border crossing checkpoints between the two jurisdictions, the upgrade of the cross-border industrial zone and the establishment of the Hengqin free trade zone.
The authorities have also promised to work with the mainland officials to advance both governments’ funding mechanisms for youth startups, which would encourage young local entrepreneurs to venture out of the city for business opportunities. Staff reporter

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