Explainer | Beijing’s master plans for Hong Kong and Macau are so different from each other. Here’s why

Name: China’s Shenzhen city builds giant air-conditioning system to cool entire Qianhai economic zone
Uploaded: 2021-09-08T03:00:15.000Z
Duration: 4 min 55 s
Description: China’s Shenzhen city builds giant air-conditioning system to cool entire Qianhai economic zone

Beijing’s long-term goal for Qianhai-Hong Kong cooperation zone is to cultivate a ‘globally competitive business environment’

Under blueprint, Hengqin-Macau zone should be able to ‘fully demonstrate’ vibrancy and niches of ‘one country, two systems’ principle

Reading Time:4 minutes

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A view of the Qianhai Bay, in Shenzhen city. Photo: China News Service

Natalie Wong

Published: 11:00am, 8 Sep 2021Updated: 11:03pm, 8 Sep 2021

Beijing’s separate new plans to link its two special administrative regions – Hong Kong and Macau – to their neighbouring mainland Chinese cities through the Qianhai and Hengqin zones are far more than an economic blueprint to enhance cross-border collaboration.

The broad road maps, each with ambitious economic and political goals, not only steer the national strategy of the Greater Bay Area development, but are also aimed at moving forward the implementation of “one country, two systems” with pilot governance schemes in the collaboration zones.

Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has pledged the city would take an active role in making it a reality, noting its own economic horizons would expand alongside those of the area.

The Post outlines key differences between the two zones and what they mean to Hong Kong and Macau.

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China’s Shenzhen city builds giant air-conditioning system to cool entire Qianhai economic zone

What are the Qianhai and Hengqin economic zones?

Both areas were designated as new economic zones in 2009.