GBA Briefs Feb 11

Spring Festival draws 110,000 visitors to SAR

The Macao Special Administrative Region welcomed over 110,000 tourists during the Lunar New Year holiday week from Jan 31 to Feb 6 - an increase of 25.4 percent compared with the same period last year. Most of the visitors were from the Chinese mainland using the land crossings from Zhuhai.

The Macao Government Tourism Office said it will continue to step up online and offline promotions and strengthen intraregional collaboration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to attract visitors and revive the tourism industry.

Park uses intelligent construction solutions

A new energy vehicle industrial park being built in Guangzhou's Huangpu district is using intelligent construction solutions that can enhance efficiency and shorten the construction period.

Due to be completed late next month, the park will have an annual output of 300,000 sets of auto bodies and 100,000 battery packs, boosting the city's competitiveness in the new-energy vehicle sector.

Located in the park's construction site is the Greater Bay Area's first intelligent electromechanical construction base. The base, covering nearly 4,000 square meters, has seven fully autonomous production lines that manufacture more than 60 percent of the materials required in electromechanical installation. The method is expected to cut the park's construction time by at least three months.

SZU robots bring a touch of finesse to Winter Olympics

Shenzhen University has invented two surface measurement robots to be used at the National Speed Skating Oval - an ice venue for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. This is to meet the high standards required for ice foundation planeness - a key factor for faster and stronger tracks. The robots are used to smoothen and inspect the 12,000-square-meter ice surface at the venue to reduce flatness errors. The new measurement efficiency is 5 to 10 times higher than that of traditional methods.

RCEP preferential policies a boon for city's exports

In the first month of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which came into effect on the Chinese mainland on Jan 1, Zhuhai enterprises have benefitted from 43 million yuan ($6.76 million) worth of exports through the favorable trade policies of the world's largest free trade agreement.

Xiangzhou Customs have so far issued 76 RCEPcertificatesoforigin to Zhuhai companies, which comprises 15 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

The pact allows China and Japan to realize bilateral tariff cuts, marking a historical breakthrough. As of Feb 6, the number of certificates of origin issued for Zhuhai companies' exports to Japan had exceeded last year's figure. Through the RCEP's preferential policies granted to certificate holders, a consignment of "Made in Zhuhai" and "Zhuhai Specialty" products will be exported to Japan.

Lab to embark on hydrogen energy new research

Foshan Xianhu Laboratory will launch its second phase (2023-25) of strategic planning on hydrogen energy, fuel cell technology and disruptive technologies for ammonia-hydrogen fusion.

As the only laboratory in Guangdong province focusing on hydrogen energy, it aims to set up a platform for hydrogen energy technology innovation, talent training and industry promotion through a 10-year plan to promote the development of the hydrogen energy industry.

The workshop has made significant progress in the first phase (2020-22) with breakthroughs in developing fuel cell system control technology, multi-energy synergistic controllers for vehicles, and a hydrogen composite power system for heavy trucks.

First rural revitalization LNY shopping festival held

The first Huizhou rural revitalization Lunar New Year shopping festival offered nearly 100 kinds of agricultural products, such as bean curd and Longmen rice, raking in sales of more than 3 million yuan in two weeks. The festival, held recently on-site and online, saw buyers make purchases online using WeChat or on-site at three exhibition areas selling agricultural products in Huizhou.

Cross-border e-commerce imports, exports hit $11.5 b

The volume of Dongguan's cross-border e-commerce imports and exports recorded 91.8 percent year-on-year growth last year. The figure reached 73 billion yuan ($11.5 billion) - the highest in Guangdong province and exceeded 70 billion yuan for the first time. The growth was attributed to the city's supportive policies, infrastructure, logistics networks and vast opportunities brought by live streaming e-commerce.

Dongguan plans to provide more support and training to help enterprises expand further in overseas markets and build up their online brands. The city will continue to work with e-commerce giants, such as Alibaba, JD.com and Suning, to help small and medium-sized enterprises explore business opportunities abroad.

Firm has role in designing Winter Olympics torch

Zhongshan-based Hart 3D Metal Materials Co took part in the design and production of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics torch along with China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

According to the 3D technology firm, the torch, named "Flying", is the world's first high-pressure hydrogen storage torch using green hydrogen with high combustibility as fuel. It achieved zero carbon emissions for the first time in the history of the Winter Olympics. To ensure smooth and stable combustion, the team tested a variety of 3D printing materials, verified and improved the printing process systematically, and successfully accomplished its combustion system to fully meet the requirements.

Exhibition hall launched to promote Lingnan culture

The Xinhui Cultural Tourism Exhibition Hall, launched recently to promote Lingnan culture, has three areas for intangible cultural heritage activities. They are Yue Yun Fengcai center for watching Cantonese opera; Guqin Yayin center for performing the guqin - a traditional musical instrument; and Chen Mengji Story center for telling folk stories, as well as an intangible cultural heritage corridor and a Yitang study room.

During the Spring Festival, Cantonese opera and performances using the guqin were held at the exhibition hall.

Formerly known as Yuhu Xiaoyuan, the exhibition hall is located on the banks of Yuhu Lake in the 4A-Level scenic spot of Jiangmen's Guifeng Mountain. The Lingnan-style facility was built in the 1950s.

Migrant workers receive incentives to return to work

The Zhaoqing municipal government and businesses have teamed up to offer incentives for migrant workers to return to Zhaoqing and work in the city after the Lunar New Year holiday. The perks include transport, housing and employment subsidies.

The city has also initiated other measures as a sign of goodwill and appreciation of its migrant workers, such as providing 50,000 tickets for free admission to local tourist attractions during the Spring Festival.

Zhaoqing has relaxed its household registration policy for migrant workers and their spouses, children and parents to settle down in the city and gain access to public services and social welfare. Those with stable jobs or residence, or doing business in Zhaoqing, are eligible to apply.