Policy support enables the development of Nansha to gain momentum

Strong policy support from the central and local governments is expected to help Guangzhou's Nansha district in its endeavors to deepen opening-up and promote comprehensive cooperation among Guangdong province, Hong Kong and Macao.

The support includes 16 measures released on Sept 20 by the General Administration of Customs. The measures are expected to strengthen the convenient flow of production factors within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area; elevate Nansha's position as an international aviation logistics service center; bolster key project and platform construction; support Chinese enterprises to seize opportunities in the global market; and promote alignment of rules in the Bay Area.

They are also expected to inject momentum into a wide range of scientific areas and support industries including bioscience and the vehicle trade.

According to the new customs measures, Nansha is allowed to adopt a positive-list approach in managing the import of research and development materials. R&D institutions from Hong Kong and Macao can apply for rapid customs clearance for products and samples for the purposes of R&D, testing and certification provided they have official certificates from the market supervision administration.

The district's cross-border e-commerce, bonded aircraft leasing, bonded maintenance, and bonded bunkering for international ships also benefit from the new measures, so will new energy, the smart vehicle industry and imports of vehicles and core parts.

The measures also include support for Nansha to become a comprehensive service base for Chinese enterprises to seize opportunities in the global market. It will encourage big enterprises to set up regional headquarters or functional headquarters in Nansha and aid Nansha to set up a comprehensive service platform for offshore trade and to try offshore data services.

The customs' new measures came about 100 days after the State Council released a master plan, known as the Overall Plan for Promoting Comprehensive Cooperation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao by Further Deepening Opening-up in Nansha District of Guangzhou, on June 14.

According to it, Nansha is set to be a scientific and technological innovation industry cooperation hub; a youth entrepreneurship and employment cooperation platform; an important base and strong support for Hong Kong and Macao to better integrate into overall national development; a rule convergence mechanism; and a high-quality urban development landmark.

Li Xi, Party secretary of the Guangdong Committee of the Communist Party of China, acknowledged the significant headway made by Guangzhou and Nansha district in carrying out the mid-June overall plan. He spoke when attending a meeting on Sept 19 to review the work over the last three months.

Li urged Nansha to redouble efforts in quality urban planning, modern traffic infrastructure, innovation and technology development, continuous reform to support opening-up and business and living environment enhancements. He added that the provincial authorities of Guangdong will muster up resources and map out policies to help Nansha on its way to become a major world-oriented strategic platform rooted in the Bay Area, collaborating with the Hong Kong and Macao.

Over the last three months, Nansha has made solid progress in several fields including preparing new policies for attracting talent from Hong Kong and Macao and setting up new scientific and innovation projects.

The district has hammered out concrete steps to carry out a favorable taxation policy released by the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration in August. It applies a personal income tax rate on Hong Kong and Macao residents working in Nansha that is the same as Hong Kong or Macao.

On July 20, Nansha launched its service center in Hong Kong. Together with the Consultative Committee on Guangdong-Hong Kong Co-operation (Guangzhou Nansha) Service Center, which opened in mid-October 2021, it will promote exchanges between Nansha and Hong Kong in such fields as finance, sci-tech innovation, shipping and logistics, as well as professional services.

On Aug 30, the district secured 73 projects focusing on chips manufacturing, artificial intelligence, new energy, maritime technology, biomedicine, automobile manufacturing and high-end equipment during the 2022 Guangzhou Annual Investment Conference. The investment contracts were worth nearly 140 billion yuan ($19.56 billion) in total, injecting new vitality into the scientific development of Nansha.

Nansha also made attempts to become a highland that promotes the alignment of international and domestic rules. In early July, a couple of lawyers from Macao who work in Nansha received licenses from the Guangdong Department of Justice to practice in the Bay Area. In late July, 16 engineers from Hong Kong and Macao were granted their mainland professional titles, to the effect that they can enjoy the same professional qualification and treatment as their counterparts on the mainland.

Set to be a landmark in quality urban life, the district witnessed the opening of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) on Sept 1. The university is the first independent educational institution jointly established between mainland and Hong Kong universities since the development initiative for the Bay Area started in 2019.

On the same day, the Minxin Hong Kong School opened, ridding the Hong Kong residents who work in Nansha of concern for their children's education. The new school offers Hong Kong-style education.

Clockwise from top: Nansha demonstrates its vast potential at Guangzhou Fair in August. Nansha vows to provide premium services to residents and businesses. Customs officers work at Nansha Port Area in Guangzhou. CHINA DAILY