Hengqin New Area spurring business, transportation growth

The Hengqin New Area in Guangdong province has been designed as a new green, health and tourism island, playing a big role in supporting neighboring Macao's ambition to become an international leisure and tourism center. The new area is also expecting to expand its cooperation with investors from Macao and Hong Kong, to achieve that goal in the months to come, according to Wang Yan, deputy director of Hengqin New Area Free Trade Office.

"In addition to finance, logistics and cross-border e-commerce, Hengqin has planned to give its top priorities to develop its innovation, leisure, tourism, traditional Chinese medicine, culture, convention and exhibition, education and related environmentally friendly industries in cooperation with its Hong Kong and Macao counterparts," Wang told China Daily.

The Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, released by the central authorities in February, encourages cities in the Bay Area to further expand their cooperation and accelerate infrastructural connectivity.