Lei vows to ‘unlock’ Macau-Hengqin’s joint development’s potential

      The two-day 2024 Hengqin Global Investment Promotion Conference is taking place with its opening ceremony held yesterday afternoon, with the aim of drawing domestic and foreign investments to the island by enabling the participants to gain a better understanding of the various preferential measures being implemented there.

The conference also aims to highlight Hengqin’s development prospects driven by the Macau government’s ongoing “1+4” economic diversification campaign.

Delivering a speech during yesterday’s ceremony, Macau Secretary for Economy and Finance Lei Wai Nong, who also heads the executive committee of the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, pledged that Macau and Hengqin will work together to “unlock” the potential for their coordinated development and further enhancing Hengqin’s openness and internationalisation process.

Lei also said that Hengqin is currently in a “golden period” during which its trade and investment opportunities are creating a “synergy” effect. He said that Hengqin enables foreign investors to access the Chinese mainland’s large market by linking with the “international resources” gathered in Macau.

Lei, who made his speech in English, said that Hengqin has unique advantages in its systems where its business environment is becoming increasingly similar to that of Macau as well as providing a comprehensive set of preferential measures for businesses and investments, because of which Henqgin has a bright development prospect.

In his speech, Lei called for businesses to make investments in Hengqin and participate in its ongoing development.

Yesterday’s opening ceremony at Chimelong Hengqin Bay Hotel, which started at 5 p.m., lasted 1.5 hours, followed by a gala dinner (buffet) at the hotel.

Around 1,000 business representatives from home and abroad are attending the two-day event, which includes various meetings on different topics and on-site visits to various facilities on Zhuhai’s Hengqin island.

In addition to Lei, the opening ceremony was attended by various guests such as Foreign Ministry Commissioner in Macau Liu Xianfa, Zhuhai mayor Huang Zhihao, and senior officials of the in-depth cooperation zone’s executive committee.

The two-day Global Investment Promotion Conference aims to enable the participants to gain a better understanding of Henqgin’s latest development measures and plans, particularly the benefits to businesses created by the implementation of the “tier-specific management” special customs arrangements, which got off the ground on March 1 this year.

Henqgin is holding its Global Investment Promotion Conference for the second time, after the first one last year also held in May.

Lei also said that last year’s conference was well received as a number of leading companies which attended have launched their businesses in Hengqin.

After Lei delivering his speech, Su Kun, a deputy director of the in-depth cooperation zone’s executive committee, gave a presentation in English about Henqgin’s current preferential measures for businesses and its future development plans.

Afterwards, George Liao Zhijun, founder and CEO of mainland microchip research and manufacturing firm Wisewave Tech, gave a presentation about his company’s development in Hengqin. Wisewave is a Guangdong-Macau joint venture headquartered in Hengqin.

After, Airbus Helicopters China Managing Director Colin James also gave a talk about the company’s investment plans in Hengqin as well as its development plan in Guangdong.

At the last part of the ceremony, senior officials of the in-depth cooperation zone’s executive committee presented certificates to a number of “ambassadors” for Hengqin.

Foreign Ministry Commissioner Office is organising a media tour for Macau media to cover its two-day fact-finding trips to Henqgin for consuls-general from various foreign countries to Hong Kong and Macau. The two-day trip from yesterday to today, including yesterday’s ceremony, aims to enable the participants to have a better understanding of the island’s latest development achievements.

Today, the consuls-general’s delegation will visit Henqgin Exhibition Hall, the “tier-specific management” customs zones, a cross-border e-commerce and live streamlining base. After a working luncheon hosted by the Foreign Ministry Commissioner Office and the in-depth cooperation zone’s executive committee, the delegation will return to Macau today afternoon. 

Macau Secretary for Economy and Finance Lei Wai Nong (separate photo), who heads the executive committee of the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, delivers a speech during yesterday’s opening ceremony of the 2024 Hengqin Global Investment Promotion Conference at Chimelong Hengqin Bay Hotel. 

Business representatives and other guests attended yesterday’s opening ceremony of the Hengqin Global Investment Promotion Conference at Chimelong Hengqin Bay Hotel. – Photos: Tony Wong