Shenzhen to give Qianhai more autonomy, HK style

Shenzhen leaders will turn Qianhai into a small-scale Hong Kong by giving it more autonomy in its legal system and administration.

In addition, according to draft proposals concerning its administration, Qianhai, in Nanshan district, would be financially independent.

The city will finalise most of Qianhai's laws, regulations, tax scheme and personnel system this year, and Shenzhen's laws and regulations will apply to Qianhai only if they are specifically legislated for that area.

According to the draft, Qianhai will decide on how to use revenue generated from selling land rather than turn it over to Shenzhen.

However, individual bureaus and departments will not be allowed to govern in Qianhai unless Shenzhen's top leaders authorise it.

There would be a Hong Kong-style Independent Commission Against Corruption and an ombudsman, although Dr Fang Zhou, an assistant chief research officer at the One Country Two Systems Research Institute in Hong Kong, doubted the special administrative region's experiences could be directly grafted because of the difference between the systems.

Qianhai will even have its own court by the end of this year to handle business-related cases that involve Hong Kong or foreign enterprises, according to the Shenzhen Intermediate Court. The business court will hear labour disputes within its jurisdiction but will not handle criminal or civil cases.