Nearly 29,000 Macau residents live and work in Hengqin 

Nearly 29,000 Macau residents now live or work in Hengqin, according to figures released by the Executive Committee on the fourth anniversary of the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone.

“An increasing number of Macau youth are seeking employment, starting businesses, and undertaking internships in major cities across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area,” stated the Executive Committee of the cooperation zone on its official WeChat account, citing data showing 23,749 Macau residents living in the zone and 5,762 employed there, reflecting year-on-year increases of 30.1% and 14.1%, respectively.

It noted that over the past four years, the cooperation zone has continually improved its public service system and infrastructure, establishing policies and safeguards to promote youth employment and entrepreneurship. This provides Macau residents with broader opportunities to live, work, and pursue ventures within the zone, further supporting their development in the Greater Bay Area.

“An increasing number of Macau residents and enterprises are choosing Hengqin, with the integrated development framework between Hengqin and Macau beginning to take shape. Its role in supporting Macau’s economic diversification is becoming increasingly evident. As the integration of ‘Macau + Hengqin’ deepens, the proportion of Macau-related enterprises in Hengqin continues to rise,” the authorities stated.

Official data showed that nearly 60,000 businesses had established operations in Hengqin by the end of July, including more than 7,300 Macau-funded enterprises, a growth of over 57% since the zone’s establishment.

The Executive Committee also highlighted the recently implemented shared electronic tag system for single-plate vehicles between Hengqin and Macau.

It noted that Macau vehicle owners can now drive directly through the Hengqin checkpoint after completing registration, with the application process “significantly streamlined.”

Since late August, designated hospitals in Hengqin and Macau have adopted a seamless cross-border patient transfer model, allowing patients to remain in their vehicles throughout the process. Dedicated shuttle buses for cross-border students now operate under a new “on-board inspection, no-disembarkation clearance” system.

Authorities said these measures “exemplify the deepening alignment of rules between Hengqin and Macau.”

According to statistics from the Hengqin Border Inspection Station, between September 5, 2021, and September 4 this year, the station processed 69.85 million passenger crossings and 8.12 million vehicle entries and exits.

Of these, more than 16.75 million were Macau residents and over 5.38 million were Macau single-plate vehicles, accounting for 24% and 66% of the totals, respectively.

Authorities added that preliminary studies for a new Hengqin-Macau passageway have begun, with Macau single-plate vehicles expected to “travel north” via Hengqin to further expand pathways for Macau residents to integrate into the Greater Bay Area.

Another plan was also announced to introduce specialized policy measures, including the creation of an investment fund focused on economic and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, aimed at providing enterprises with diversified one-stop services.