This English translation is for reference only. The Chinese version shall prevail in case of any inconsistencies.

Notice on Issuing the Measures for Promoting the High-Quality Development of Cross-Border E-Commerce Industry in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin (For Trial Implementation)

All relevant departments,

The Measures for Promoting the High-Quality Development of Cross-Border E-Commerce Industry in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin (For Trial Implementation) has been approved by the Executive Committee of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and is hereby issued. Please implement these Measures in accordance with your actual situation.

Economic Development Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin

July 1, 2024

Normative Document No. 13/2024 of the Economic Development Bureau

Measures for Promoting the High-Quality Development of Cross-Border E-Commerce Industry in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin (For Trial Implementation)

Contents

Chapter I General Provisions

Chapter II Development of Cross-Border E-Commerce Demonstration Zones

Chapter III Construction of the Cross-Border E-Commerce Ecosystem

Chapter IV Promotion of E-Commerce Enterprise Clusters

Chapter V Enhancement of E-Commerce Talent Cultivation

Chapter VI Encouragement of E-Commerce Activities

Chapter VII Support for the Coordinated Development of Hengqin and Macao

Chapter VIII Guarantee and Supervision

Chapter IX Supplementary Provisions

Chapter I

General Provisions

Article 1.

Purpose

In order to implement the Master Plan for the Construction of Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, foster new drivers of economic growth under the “new normal”, promote high-quality development of the real economy through e-commerce, and support the moderate diversification of Macao’s economy by leveraging the synergy between Hengqin and Macao, these Measures are formulated in accordance with the actual situation of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin (hereinafter referred to as the “Cooperation Zone”).

Article 2.

Definitions

For the purposes of these Measures, the following terms are defined as follows:

1. “E-commerce enterprises” refer to legal persons and unincorporated organizations that engage in the business of selling goods or providing services through the Internet and other information networks. These include e-commerce platform enterprises, e-commerce brand distributors, e-commerce service enterprises, comprehensive e-commerce enterprises, and other innovative e-commerce enterprises;

Among the different forms of enterprises, “e-commerce platform enterprises” refer to enterprises that run e-commerce platforms and conduct self-operated activities through self-built platforms or provide platform services to third-party operators, including self-operated platform enterprises that provide retail or wholesale services for physical products, third-party platform enterprises that provide trading services for e-commerce operators, and enterprises that provide service products such as food delivery, education, healthcare, cultural goods, tourism, sports, and local life services through information networks such as the Internet;

“E-commerce brand distributors” refer to e-commerce enterprises that sell goods or provide services through third-party e-commerce platforms or through Internet methods other than websites;

“E-commerce service enterprises” refer to enterprises that provide e-commerce-related services such as marketing (including live streaming), technology, operation, data, credit, consultation, training, logistics, financial payment, influencer incubation and operation, and comprehensive foreign trade services to e-commerce operators;

“Comprehensive e-commerce enterprises” refer to enterprises that engage in two or more of the aforementioned operating activities;

“Other innovative e-commerce enterprises” refer to enterprises that conduct other types of operating activities through information networks such as the Internet;

Enterprises established in the Cooperation Zone that sell goods to their affiliated companies in Macao through methods other than websites, where the affiliated companies then sell the goods on e-commerce platforms, are also considered e-commerce enterprises. “Affiliated companies in Macao” refer to companies that are legally established in Macao, duly pay taxes (including but not limited to complementary tax and business tax) or are lawfully exempted from taxation, and that either: (i) are directly held  (excluding nominee shareholdings) by enterprises in the Cooperation Zone with more than 50% of the shares, or (ii) directly hold (excluding nominee shareholdings) more than 50% of the shares in an enterprise in the Cooperation Zone. Such companies must also engage in the same or similar business activities as the said enterprise in the Cooperation Zone;

2. “Live commerce enterprises” refer to enterprises that conduct commercial marketing activities through video live-streaming, audio live-streaming, text and graphic live-streaming, or a combination thereof, on websites, applications, mini-programs, etc. These include live-streaming marketing platforms, live commerce sales enterprises, and live commerce service enterprises;

3. “Cross-border e-commerce enterprises” refer to enterprises registered domestically that engage in the sale of goods across borders or provide supporting services for such sales through the Internet and other information networks. These include cross-border e-commerce platform businesses, transactional businesses, and service businesses;

4. “Wholly-owned subsidiaries” refer to companies in which the parent company has 100% direct or indirect shareholdings (excluding nominee shareholdings), including first-tier, second-tier, and third-tier wholly-owned subsidiaries of the parent company;

5. “Fortune Global 500 companies” refer to enterprises that were listed in the annual ranking of the top 500 corporations worldwide published by Fortune magazine in the year prior to the application;

6. “China’s top 500 enterprises” refer to enterprises included in the annual list of the top 500 Chinese enterprises published by the China Enterprise Confederation and the China Enterprise Directors Association in the year prior to the application;

7. “China’s top 500 private enterprises” refer to enterprises included in the China’s top 500 private enterprises list released by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce in the year prior to the application;

8. “China’s top 100 Internet enterprises” refer to enterprises included in the China Internet Enterprises Comprehensive Capabilities Index released by the Internet Society of China in the year prior to the application;

9. “Global Unicorn Index” refers to the ranking released by the Hurun Research Institute in the year prior to the application;

10. “E-commerce demonstration bases” refer to those newly designated and announced by the Ministry of Commerce in the current or preceding year of the application;

11. “National e-commerce demonstration enterprises” refer to those newly designated and announced by the Ministry of Commerce, in accordance with the Regulations for the Establishment of E-commerce Demonstration Enterprises (For Trial Implementation) and the Selection (Comprehensive Evaluation) Indicator System for E-commerce Demonstration Enterprises, through application, comprehensive evaluation, public announcement, and other procedures in the current or preceding year of the application;

12.“Cross-border e-commerce demonstration zones in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin” refer to specialized zones that meet the conditions of and are recognized by the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone, categorized as leading demonstration zones and growing demonstration zones;

13. “Macao-funded enterprises” refer to enterprises where the investors are Macao residents or legal entities legally established in Macao that have been operating for at least two years, with a combined shareholding ratio of no less than 25%;

14. “Enterprises above designated size (specified quota)” refer to industrial enterprises above designated size, wholesale and retail enterprises above specified quota, accommodation and catering enterprises above specified quota, and service enterprises above designated size;

15. “Overseas warehouses” refer to logistics nodes established outside the Chinese mainland that provide order fulfillment services such as receiving, storing, and shipping goods, and other value-added services for cross-border e-commerce businesses;

16. “Multi-channel network agencies (MCN agencies)” refer to enterprises or business service enterprises that register agency accounts on major live streaming platforms such as Tmall (Taobao), JD.com, Temu, Tik Tok, Kuaishou, rednote, WeChat Channels, Bilibili, Vipshop, Inke Live, etc., on behalf of an enterprise and provide cultural and entertainment agent services such as market planning, supply chain management, and incubation and training for signed live streamers;

17. “Live commerce bases” refer to industrial carriers clusters in the Cooperation Zone composed mainly of multi-channel networks (MCNs), live commerce branded businesses, and live commerce service enterprises. These carriers should be equipped with public live-streaming rooms, product selection centers, office spaces, etc., to meet the basic business needs of resident enterprises such as product demonstration, live commerce, specialized training, salon events, and short video shooting;

18. “Mainstream e-commerce platforms” refer to Tmall (Taobao), JD.com, Temu, Tik Tok, Kuaishou, Meituan, rednote, Tencent, Bilibili, Vipshop, Inke Live, Shein, Amazon, Walmart, Shopee, Lazada, eBay, Wish, AliExpress, Mercado Libre, and Alibaba;

19. “Major e-commerce enterprises” refer to shareholders (with a shareholding of no less than 25%) of project companies registered in the Cooperation Zone that have signed investment attraction-related agreements with the Executive Committee or relevant government agencies of the Cooperation Zone, and whose revenue in the preceding year was no less than RMB 2 billion;

20. “Turnover” refers to the main business revenue and other business revenue of an entity in the Cooperation Zone, as verified by the Cooperation Zone’s statistical accounting data;

21. “Macao live streamers” refer to permanent or non-permanent residents of Macao who broadcast on mainstream live commerce platforms nationwide and overseas;

22. “E-commerce professionals” refer to professionals engaged in e-commerce technology development, operations management, marketing, data analysis, live streaming, and design, as verified by the Economic Development Bureau;

23. “Youth professionals” refer to professionals under the age of 45;

24. “Substantive operations” refer to operations that comply with the requirements stipulated in the Rules for Determining the Substantive Operations of Enterprises in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin (Normative Document No. 2/2023 of the Executive Committee). Enterprises that do not meet the substantive operations requirements shall not be eligible for any preferential treatment;

25. “Economic contribution” refers to the total economic contribution comprising an enterprise’s annual value-added income, annual corporate income, and the withholding of income from purchases of products, services, and intellectual property rights income from overseas enterprises on their behalf. The enterprise’s annual economic contribution shall be calculated based on the corresponding period;

26. “Live-streaming sales revenue” refers to the annual, tax-inclusive transaction amount achieved through live-streaming sales on domestic and/or international mainstream e-commerce platforms, calculated by subtracting the total value of returned orders (within the return and exchange period) from the total order value;

27. All amounts mentioned in these Measures are in Renminbi;

28. The terms “fixed investment”, “investment amount”, “actual expenses incurred”, “service fees”, and “labor costs” mentioned in these Measures are based on the data from special audit reports issued by third-party auditing firms;

29. The terms “no(t) less than”, “no more than”, “and above”, “at least”, “maximum” and “up to” mentioned in these Measures shall be interpreted as inclusive of the stated value.

Article 3.

Applicable Conditions

Applicants for support under these Measures shall meet the following basic conditions:

1. The applicant shall be either a corporation or a non-enterprise private unit registered in the Cooperation Zone, or an eligible individual;

2. If the applicant is an enterprise or a non-enterprise private unit, the applicant shall meet the substantive operation requirements stipulated in Rules for Determining the Substantive Operation of Enterprises in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin (Normative Document No. 2/2023 of the Executive Committee) and shall be incorporated into the statistical reporting system of the Cooperation Zone;

3. The applicant shall be responsible for the authenticity, legality, and completeness of the application materials, and shall not submit multiple or duplicate applications for the same project, in whole or in part, to other working bodies of the Executive Committee of the Cooperation Zone.

Applicants shall not be eligible to apply for support under these Measures if, during the application year or the preceding year, any of the following circumstances exist:

1. The applicant has been included in the List of Dishonest Persons on the “Credit China” platform;

2. The applicant has received administrative penalties for violating laws, regulations, or rules related to work safety, market regulation, environmental protection, fire safety, taxation, etc., during their business operations, and the administrative penalties are subject to hearings as stipulated in the Implementation Measures for Administrative Penalty Hearing Procedures in Guangdong Province.

Chapter II

Development of Cross-Border E-Commerce Demonstration Zones

Article 4.

Basic Conditions for Recognition as Cross-Border E-Commerce Demonstration Zones

To be recognized as a cross-border e-commerce demonstration zone in the Cooperation Zone, an entity shall concurrently meet the following basic conditions:

1. The entity responsible for the construction and operation of the demonstration zone shall be an independent legal person that is registered, subject to taxation, and included in the statistical reporting system in the Cooperation Zone;

2. The property ownership within the zone shall be clear and well-defined, the planning shall be in a rational and orderly manner, and the functional positioning shall be accurate. The infrastructure shall be well-developed, equipped with dedicated public cross-border network lines, supported by a well-established public service system, and governed by a standardized management organziation and an operational mechanism;

3. The zone shall have complete equipment and facilities such as office spaces, live-streaming bases, public canteens, and commercial amenities;

4. The zone shall have a professional investment promotion and operational service team of no less than 20 people, capable of organizing and managing the zone’s operations effectively. The zone shall also have standardized management mechanisms and systems, forming a comprehensive and specialized operational management framework that encompasses investment promotion, enterprise services, property management, and all other related aspects.

Article 5.

Conditions for Recognition as Cross-Border E-Commerce Demonstration Zons

The Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone will convene a review committee biennially to evaluate and accredit eligible applicant zones. Cross-border e-commerce demonstration zones in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone (hereinafter referred to as “demonstration zones”) are categorized into leading and growing demonstration zones.

1. In addition to meeting the basic conditions, applicants for leading demonstration zones shall also meet the following conditions:

(1) The total floor area of the zone shall be no less than 50,000 square meters, with at least 30 cross-border e-commerce enterprises (including platform-based, transaction-based, and service-based enterprises) conducting substantive operations and registered in the zone (as per the business registration address). The total number of e-commerce enterprises in the zone shall be 50 and above (with at least ten Macao-funded enterprises). The number of people who are engaged in e-commerce in the zone and pay social insurance and physically work on-site shall be no less than 800;

(2) The total annual turnover of e-commerce enterprises in the zone for the review year shall be no less than RMB 5 billion, with the total annual trading volume of cross-border e-commerce no less than RMB 1 billion. The trading volume of cross-border e-commerce shall be determined based on customs data or data from the online comprehensive service platform of the cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot area;

(3) The zone shall score 80 or above based on the Evaluation Criteria for Leading Demonstration Zones of Cross-Border E-Commerce in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, as assessed by the review committee.

2. In addition to meeting the basic conditions, applicants for growing demonstration zones shall also meet the following conditions:

(1) The total floor area of the zone shall be no less than 20,000 square meters, with at least ten cross-border e-commerce enterprises (including platform-based, transaction-based, and service-based enterprises) conducting substantive operations and registered in the zone (as per the business registration address). The total number of e-commerce enterprises in the zone shall be 30 or above (with at least five Macao-funded enterprises). The number of people engaged in e-commerce in the zone, who pay social insurance and physically work on-site, shall be no less than 500;

(2) The total annual turnover of e-commerce enterprises in the zone for the review year shall be no less than RMB 3 billion, with the total annual trading volume of cross-border e-commerce no less than RMB 500 million, as determined based on customs data or data from the online comprehensive service platform of the cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot area;

(3) The zone shall score 80 or above based on the Evaluation Criteria for Growing Demonstration Zones of Cross-Border E-Commerce in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, as assessed by the review committee.

Article 6.

Support for the Development of Cross-Border E-Commerce Demonstration Zones

The following support measures shall be provided to promote the sustainable development of cross-border e-commerce demonstration zones:

1. Support for Fixed Assets. Recognized leading demonstration zones may be provided a one-time support of 30% of the actual fixed investment expenditure for the application year, up to RMB 100 million. Recognized growing demonstration zones may be provided a one-time support of 20% of the actual fixed investment expenditure for the application year, up to RMB 20 million.

Fixed investment expenditure excludes investments in large commercial complexes, hotels, and apartments within the zone. Fixed investment expenditure solely covers fixed investments in office spaces (or spaces with office functions) and related necessary supporting facilities, excluding costs for civil works, land acquisition, and demolition.

2. Operation Subsidy. Recognized leading demonstration zones may be granted an annual operation subsidy equal to 70% and 50% of the actual annual operating expenses for two consecutive years, up to RMB 20 million per year. Recognized growing demonstration zones may be granted an annual operation subsidy equal to 70% and 50% of the actual annual operating expenses for two consecutive years, up to RMB 5 million per year.

Operating expenses include costs related to zone operations, property services, information technology, apartment operations, and public facilities such as canteens.

3. Rewards for Introduction or Cultivation of High-Quality Enterprises. The operating entity of a recognized demonstration zone may be granted a reward of RMB100,000 for each e-commerce enterprise above designated size (specified quota) that the entity introduces or cultivates in the zone, with a maximum reward of RMB 5 million per zone.

4. Rewards for High-Quality Development. The operating entity of a zone that is first recognized as “E-Commerce Demonstration Bases” by the competent commerce authority may be granted a one-time reward of RMB 5 million. For zones that are first recognized by the provincial competent commerce authority as “Leading Industrial Zones of Cross-Border E-Commerce” or “Growing Industrial Zones of Cross-Border E-Commerce”, one-time incentives of RMB 3 million and RMB 1 million shall be granted to their operating entities, respectively.

Article 7.

Encouraging the Establishment of Live Commerce Bases

Support will be provided for the development of live commerce bases with multi-functional and multi-format facilities designed to integrate content production, video technology, live-streaming scenarios, operational services, and other relevant elements. Enterprises and associations registered in the Cooperation Zone are encouraged to leverage existing zones or buildings within the Cooperation Zone to establish live commerce bases. For operating entities of recognized live commerce bases that meet the relevant criteria, a subsidy equal to 50% of their investment expenditure may be granted, up to a maximum of RMB 3 million per applicant.

In accordance with Article 14 of these Measures, rent subsidies shall be determined by actual area, exclusive of per capita limitations. Each applicant, in principle, shall be eligible to apply for a maximum of two base projects. Eligible investment expenditures for subsidies shall include costs for venue renovation, equipment procurement, base operation, and technology expenses for live commerce bases in the Cooperation Zone and related bases in Macao, but shall exclude base labor costs.

Operating entities of recognized cross-border e-commerce demonstration zones that construct their own live commerce bases within the zone shall, in principle, not be eligible for support under this item.

The total area of live commerce bases established within recognized cross-border e-commerce demonstration zones shall not exceed 20% of the total floor area of the zone.

Where operating entities of recognized live commerce bases establish affiliated entities in Macao and lease no less than 200 square meters of space for live-streaming, business incubation, professional training, and other operations, the investment subsidy for the operating entity in the Cooperation Zone will be implemented at a rate of 120%.

Support shall also be provided for bases to seek platform empowerment. Live commerce bases that are first accredited by mainstream domestic and international e-commerce live-streaming platforms may be granted a one-time incentive of RMB 500,000. Bases accredited by multiple platforms shall not be granted duplicated incentives.

Article 8.

Conditions for the Recognition of Live Commerce Bases

To be recognized as a live commerce base, the following conditions must be satisfied:

1. The floor area shall be no less than 2,000 square meters, with at least ten public live-streaming rooms available for use;

2. Supportive facilities such as product selection centers, training rooms, meeting rooms, shooting areas, and network infrastructure shall be provided;

3. At least ten live-streaming-related enterprises (organizations) registered in the Cooperation Zone shall operate in the base or cooperate with the base, with at least ten signed active live streamers (including at least two live streamers from Macao);

4. The total monthly average turnover of registered enterprises in the base shall be no less than RMB 10 million;

5. At least four events with more than 50 participants shall be held annually, including investment promotion activities, training sessions, product recommendation activities, and product selection meetings.

Chapter III

Construction of the Cross-Border E-Commerce Ecosystem

Article 9.

Support for Cross-Border E-Commerce Service Providers

Cross-border e-commerce service providers are encouraged to offer professional services such as data, logistics, finance, and marketing to cross-border e-commerce enterprises, thereby promoting the development of the cross-border e-commerce industry. A service provider that serves at least ten cross-border e-commerce enterprises, with an annual turnover of not less than RMB 20 million and an annual turnover growth of not less than 20% may be granted a subsidy of 5% of the cross-border e-commerce service fees, with a maximum of RMB 2.5 million per enterprise per year. The turnover growth is not assessed for enterprises in their first year of establishment.

Article 10.

Support for Cross-Border E-Commerce Online-to-Offline (O2O) Retail Operations

Cross-border e-commerce O2O offline experience stores established in the Cooperation Zone that meet customs supervision requirements may be granted rent subsidies and one-time operational incentives.

Rent subsidies may be granted in accordance with the principle of reasonable space utilization, and shall be calculated at 80% of the assessed rental value provided by third-party professional appraisers, up to a maximum of RMB 80 per square meter per month. The maximum area eligible for subsidy for a single enterprise or association shall not exceed 3,000 square meters, with a maximum subsidy period of 24 consecutive months.

If the assessed rental value is higher than the actual rental price, the subsidy shall be calculated at 80% of the actual rental price. No subsidies shall be granted for rent-free periods.

Major e-commerce enterprises that invest in and construct cross-border e-commerce O2O offline experience stores with an operating area exceeding 800 square meters or 1,500 square meters may, after one year of operation, be granted a one-time operational incentive of RMB 800,000 or RMB 1.5 million, respectively.

Article 11.

Support for Brand Internationalization and Construction of Independent E-Commerce Websites

Cross-border e-commerce enterprises with an annual turnover of no less than RMB 10 million that register their own trademarks overseas may be granted a one-time subsidy equal to 80% of the trademark registration fees, up to a maximum of RMB 500,000 per enterprise.

Cross-border e-commerce enterprises that construct independent e-commerce websites and achieve a cross-border e-commerce trading volume of RMB 30 million in the preceding year may be granted a one-time subsidy equal to 50% of the costs for independent website development, cloud servers, SaaS technical services, information management system development and maintenance, and system equipment, up to a maximum of RMB 800,000 per enterprise.

Article 12.

Support for Renting Overseas Warehouses

Cross-border e-commerce enterprises that are primarily engaged in export business and that lease overseas warehousing facilities to provide themselves with services including warehousing logistics, inventory management, returns and exchanges, and after-sales services may be granted a subsidy equal to 50% of the actual rental expenses, up to a maximum of RMB 1 million per enterprise per year, provided that: 1) the total area of the overseas warehouses reaches 1,000 square meters; and 2) the annual cross-border e-commerce trading volume is no less than 5 million US dollars.

Cross-border e-commerce enterprises that rent third-party public overseas warehouses, and whose annual cross-border e-commerce trading volume is no less than USD 3 million may be granted a subsidy equal to 50% of the actual rental expenses, up to a maximum of RMB 500,000 per enterprise per year.

Article 13.

Support for Enterprise Logistics Insurance

Cross-border e-commerce enterprises that purchase insurances for warehousing, transportation documents, or transportation from insurers in Macao or the Cooperation Zone may be granted a subsidy of up to 20% of the actual premiums paid, with a maximum of RMB 300,000 per enterprise per year.

Chapter IV

Promotion of E-Commerce Enterprise Clusters

Article 14.

Reducing Office Rental Costs for E-Commerce Enterprises

E-commerce enterprises or associations that lease office space within the Cooperation Zone may be granted rent subsidies, with reference to the assessed rental value provided by third-party professional appraisers. The subsidy shall be calculated as up to 80% of the assessed rental value, with a maximum of RMB 80 per square meter per month. The maximum area eligible for subsidy for a single enterprise or association shall not exceed 3,000 square meters, and the subsidy period shall not exceed 24 consecutive months. For major e-commerce enterprises, the maximum area eligible for subsidy may be increased up to 15,000 square meters.

If the assessed rental value is higher than the actual rental price, the subsidy shall be calculated at 80% of the actual rental price. No subsidies shall be granted for rent-free periods.

The office space subsidy shall be determined based on a per capita standard of 15 square meters, calculated according to the number of employees who have signed labor contracts with the enterprise, pay personal income tax or social insurance in the Cooperation Zone, and physically work on-site. Live-streaming rooms and product selection centers shall be subsidized based on their actual area, provided that the total subsidized area does not exceed 50% of the total leased floor area. Enterprise showrooms and training venues (excluding professional training institutions) shall also be subsidized at a rate of 50% of their actual area, provided that the total subsidized area does not exceed 25% of the total leased floor area.

Rent subsidies for live commerce bases shall be applied for by their operating entities. Resident enterprises in these bases shall not receive duplicate rent subsidies.

Recognized e-commerce training bases shall be subsidized based on their actual area.

Office spaces eligible for rent subsidies shall be directly leased from the property owner, managed by a third-party agency authorized by the owner, or leased by a third-party agency that has leased at least 80% of the total floor area of the owner’s property (or zone) for independent investment and leasing. Sub-leasing or sub-letting under other circumstances shall not qualify for rent subsidies under this Article.

Article 15.

Reducing Cross-Border Network Costs for Enterprises

E-commerce enterprises operating within recognized demonstration zones may be granted subsidies for cross-border dedicated network line fees, in accordance with the following standards:

Operating entities using the network for their own purposes or providing it as a public service in the zone, and e-commerce enterprises with an annual turnover of at least RMB 100 million and an on-site office workforce of at least 80 people may be provided a subsidy euqal to 80% of the actual expenses incurred, with a maximum of RMB 500,000 per year;

E-commerce enterprises with an annual turnover of at least RMB 20 million and an on-site workforce of at least 30 people may be provided a subsidy equal to 60% of the actual expenses incurred, with a maximum of RMB 400,000 per year;

Other e-commerce enterprises with an on-site office workforce of at least five people may be provided a subsidy equal to 50% of the actual expenses incurred, with a maximum of RMB 100,000 per year;

E-commerce enterprises with an annual turnover exceeding RMB 1 billion during the application year that reside in other non-recognized zones in the Cooperation Zone may be provided a subsidy equal to 80% of the actual expenses incurred, with a maximum of RMB 500,000 per year.

Article 16.

Encouraging E-Commerce Enterprises to Purchase Property

E-commerce and related supporting enterprises that settel in the Cooperation Zone and are with a total turnover exceeding RMB 10 billion over three accounting years may be provided a subsidy equal to 20% of the said E-commerce and related supporting enterprises’ purchase price of office space for self-use in the Cooperation Zone (excluding supporting spaces and auxiliary facilities). The cumulative subsidy amount for each enterprise shall not exceed RMB 20 million and shall be disbursed over three years at proportions of 40%, 30%, and 30%, respectively.

Article 17.

AttractingLeading E-Commerce Enterprises

Leading e-commerce enterprises established within the Cooperation Zone may be granted one-time rewards based on the following standards:

1. Wholly-owned subsidiaries of Fortune Global 500 companies established within the Cooperation Zone, with an annual turnover exceeding RMB 3 billion in the first or second year and an economic contribution of at least RMB 100 million, may be provided a one-time reward of RMB 20 million, disbursed in equal installments over two years;

2. Wholly-owned subsidiaries of China’s top 500 enterprises, China’s top 500 private enterprises, national e-commerce demonstration enterprises, China’s top 100 Internet enterprises, and those on the Global Unicorn Index that are established within the Cooperation Zone, with an annual turnover exceeding RMB 1.5 billion in the first or second year and an economic contribution of at least RMB 50 million, may be provided a one-time reward of RMB 10 million. For those with an annual turnover exceeding RMB 800 million and an economic contribution of at least RMB 30 million, a one-time reward of RMB 6 million may be provided. These rewards shall be disbursed in equal installments over two years;

3. Other leading e-commerce enterprises settled within the Cooperation Zone, with an annual turnover exceeding RMB 1 billion in the first or second year and an economic contribution of at least RMB 50 million, may be provided a one-time reward of RMB 6 million, disbursed in equal installments over two years.

Enterprises that receive rewards under this Article shall not be eligible for other establishment incentives stipulated in these Measures.

Article 18.

Attract Promising E-Commerce Enterprises

E-commerce enterprises that are established in the Cooperation Zone and receive a single funding round exceeding RMB 10 million from institutional investors may, upon recognition, be granted a one-time reward equal to 5% of the investment amount, up to a maximum of RMB 3 million.

Enterprises that receive rewards under this Article shall not be eligible for other establishment incentives stipulated in these Measures.

Article 19.

Encouraging High-Quality Development of E-Commerce Enterprises

Enterprises that are first recognized as “E-Commerce Demonstration Enterprises” by the competent commerce authority may be granted a one-time incentive of RMB 3 million. Enterprises that are first recognized by the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province as “Leading Cross-Border E-Commerce Enterprises” or “Growing Cross-Border E-Commerce Enterprises” may be granted one-time incentives of RMB 2 million and RMB 1 million, respectively.

Article 20.

Support for E-Commerce Industry Associations

E-commerce industry associations initiated by major e-commerce enterprises in the Cooperation Zone, established in the Cooperation Zone, and with significant influence, may be provided a standard subsidy of RMB 50,000 per event for industry activities these associations organize in the Cooperation Zone, with a maximum of RMB 1 million per year for two consecutive years, provided that: 1) the industry associations provide relevant services to enterprises in the Cooperation Zone and promote the industrial clustering of e-commerce; and 2) the industry activities held in the Cooperation Zone involve at least 30 participating units and at least 70 participants.

Article 21.

Encouraging the Development of Live Commerce

Introduction of leading multi-channel networks agencies (MCN agencies). MCN agencies that are ranked among the top five in sales on mainstream domestic and international e-commerce platforms in the year of their initial establishment in the Cooperation Zone, and that achieve an annual revenue exceeding RMB 50 million, may be granted a one-time start-up incentive of RMB 2 million.

Support for the growth of MCN agencies. Operational incentives may be granted to MCN agencies based on the annual live-streaming sales revenue generated by their signed live streamers. For the portion of actual sales revenue exceeding RMB 50 million generated from live-streaming sales for enterprises registered in the Cooperation Zone or Macao, an incentive of RMB 50,000 may be granted to the MCN agency for each additional RMB 10 million of sales revenue, up to a maximum total cumulative incentive of RMB 2 million per year for a single MCN agency.

Encouraging outstanding live streamers to promote products for enterprises in Hengqin and Macao. Outstanding live streamers who, for the first time, achieve an annual live-streaming sales revenue exceeding RMB 50 million for enterprises registered in the Cooperation Zone or Macao, may be granted a one-time incentive of RMB 500,000, provided that they meet the following conditions: 1) they have been employed in the Cooperation Zone for at least six months (with a signed labor contract, service contract, or employment agreement and have actually paid social insurance for at least six months); and 2) they have a fan base of at least 500,000 followers on a single mainstream e-commerce platform.

Article 22.

Expanding Live Commerce Supply Chain

Collaboration between brand owners and live commerce enterprises will be promoted, and e-commerce enterprises with resource integration capabilities will be encouraged to establish product selection centers.

Supply chain (product selection center) projects established within recognized demonstration zones, that are capable of integrating design, production, service, management, and marketing processes, and create distinctive branded products, may be granted a subsidy equal to 20% of the enterprise’s actual investment amount, up to a maximum of RMB 3 million.

The actual investment amount shall include expenditures for equipment procurement, management platform development, digital transformation and upgrading, and information resource procurement, but shall exclude expenditures for facility construction and land acquisition.

Chapter V

Enhancement of E-Commerce Talent Cultivation

Article 23.

Development of E-Commerce Training Bases

To comprehensively strengthen the development of the e-commerce talent pool, enterprises are encouraged to collaborate with major colleges and universities in Macao and the Chinese mainland, and social training institutions, e-commerce enterprises, industry associations, mainstream e-commerce platforms, Multi-channel Network (MCN) agencies, and other entities are supported to conduct industrial training related to e-commerce, cross-border e-commerce, and live commerce.

Upon enterprise application, no more than five standardized e-commerce training bases shall be recognized, and an annual assessment and exit mechanism shall be implemented. Each training base shall be equipped with no less than 300 square meters of dedicated teaching premises, hardware and software, operated by entities with extensive teaching experience and sound management systems, and offer systematic and professional training programs.

E-commerce training bases that conduct annual offline training meeting the following criteria may be gratned a one-time incentive of RMB 500,000 to their operating entities: 1) no fewer than ten offline training sessions per year, with each session comprising no fewer than 40 class hours; 2) annual cumulative training of no fewer than 800 personnel; and 3) no fewer than four public-service training sessions per year.

Specialized training programs for Macao youth. The operating entities of recognized e-commerce training bases that organize offline industrial training targeting Macao youth in areas related to e-commerce, cross-border e-commerce, and live commerce may be subsidized equal to 80% of the training expenses, up to RMB 4,000 per person, with a maximum annual subsidy of RMB 1.5 million to the operating entity. Participating Macao youth shall complete all training courses, pass the examinations, and obtain certificates issued by the training bases, and shall not receive duplicate subsidies.

Training expenses include course offering costs, including lecturing, materials, and certification fees and excluding those for travel, accommodation, and meals.

Article 24.

Attracting Youth to Participate in Training

Subsidies for youth participating in training. Youth professionals who complete all training courses, pass the examinations, and obtain certificates from e-commerce training bases recognized by the Cooperation Zone and offer offline industrial training related to e-commerce, cross-border e-commerce, and live commerce, may be eligible for a subsidy equal to 50% of the training expenses, up to a maximum of RMB 2,500 per person, provided that they meet the following conditions: 1) being employed by enterprises registered in the Cooperation Zone; 2) having signed a labor contract, service contract, or employment agreement of at least one year; and 3) having paid social insurance for no less than six months. For Macao residents or foreign nationals from Portuguese-speaking countries, Southeast Asian countries, etc., the subsidy shall be granted at a rate of 80% of the training expenses, up to a maximum of RMB 4,000 per person.

Training expenses include course offering costs, including lecturing, materials, and certification fees and excluding those for travel, accommodation, and meals.

Each youth shall be eligible to receive the subsidy only once.

Macao youth may choose to benefit from either the general youth training subsidy or the specialized programs for Macao youth, but not both.

Article 25.

Incentives for Employers of Youth Professionals

Employers that hire youth professionals who have obtained certificates from e-commerce training bases recognized by the Cooperation Zone and are employed in the Cooperation Zone for the first time for no less than six months (with a labor contract, service contract, or employment agreement and having actually paid social insurance for over six months) may be granted a reward at a standard of RMB 5,000 per person. For the recruitment of eligible e-commerce young professionals from Macao and foreign countries, a standard of RMB 10,000 per person may be applied. Each enterprise is supposed to receive a maximum of RMB 200,000 per year.

Article 26.

Incentives for E-Commerce Professionals

Limited incentives may be granted to senior management and operations personnel of e-commerce enterprises above designated size (specified quota) operating within recognized demonstration zones.

Senior management and operation personnel shall be required to: 1) sign labor contracts, service contracts, or employment agreements of no less than three years with the enterprise; and 2) work on-site in the Cooperation Zone. Based on the seniro mangement and operation personnel’ contribution to the enterprise’s development, annual incentives may be granted, calculated as a percentage of their total taxable wages and salaries in the preceding year. Specifically, for the aforementioned senior management and operation personnel with an annual salary of no less than RMB 500,000, an incentive of RMB 50,000 may be granted.

The number of senior management and operations personnel eligible for incentives under this Article in a single enterprise shall not exceed 10% of the enterprise’s total personnel, and the cumulative total shall not exceed ten personnel annually.

Article 27.

Living Support for E-Commerce Professionals

Apartment rent subsidies may be provided to e-commerce professionals below the bachelor’s degree level (excluding bachelor’s degree holders) in e-commerce enterprises and associations in recognized demonstration zones, with a total of RMB 60,000 per person, disbursed in equal installments over three years.

Applicants shall have continuously paid individual income tax and social insurance in the Cooperation Zone, and shall still be paying individual income tax and social insurance therein as of the deadline for the current subsidy application.

First-time applicants of this allowance shall have paid personal income tax and social insurance for at least 6 consecutive months, second-time applicants for at least 24 consecutive months, and third-time applicants for at least 36 consecutive months.

Overseas professionals exempt from paying social insurance in the Chinese mainland, or domestic professionals who have not paid social insurance in the Cooperation Zone due to objective reasons, are only required to provide proof of individual income tax payment.

Other eligible professionals with bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees shall be supported pursuant to the Several Measures for Supporting Talent Development in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and its supporting documents.

Chapter VI

Encouragement of E-Commerce Activities

Article 28.

Support for Signature E-Commerce Events

Live-streaming industry authorities, mainstream e-commerce platforms, e-commerce enterprises, Multi-channel Network (MCN) agencies, and cross-border e-commerce demonstration zones located in the Cooperation Zone, with an annual revenue of no less than RMB 200 million, that organize signature industry events, such as national e-commerce festivals and product selection events, in Hengqin, Macao, or Zhuhai in a “one exhibition, two locations” or “one exhibition, three locations” format, with a scale of no fewer than 500 participants, may be granted incentives equal to 50% of the actual event expenses incurred, up to a maximum of RMB 3 million, payable to the eligible organizers.

Actual event expenses include costs of accommodation, transportation, publicity and promotion, and event operations, but exclude dining and beverage expenses. Each enterprise shall be eligible to apply for the incentive under this Article only once per year.

If the event falls within the scope defined by the Measures for Supporting the Convention and Exhibition Industry Development in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin (Normative Document No.2/2023 of the Economic Development Bureau), the standards of those measures shall apply, with no duplication.

Article 29.

Support for Live-Streaming Festivals in Hengqin and Macao

E-commerce enterprises or associations within recognized demonstration zones that collaborate with mainstream e-commerce platforms to host live-streaming festivals in the Cooperation Zone or Macao may be granted a maximum of RMB 500,000 per event, provided that: 1) the live-streaming festival is a combination of online and offline events for no more than three days; 2) at least 30% of the selected product inventory is sourced from Macao enterprises; and 3) the gross merchandise volume (GMV) is no less than RMB 10 million. Each applicant may apply for this support up to twice per year.

Chapter VII

Support for the Coordinated Development of Hengqin and Macao

Article 30.

Support for Macao-Funded Enterprises

For Macao-funded enterprises that comply with Articles 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18, 19, and 22 of these Measures, relevant support shall be granted at a rate of 120%.

Chapter VIII

Guarantee and Supervision

Article 31.

Source of Funds

Funds for the incentives under these Measures shall be subject to budgetary management and shall be allocated annually from the Cooperation Zone’s special funds budget.

Article 32.

Applicable Principles

Except as otherwise provided by laws and regulations, application for and receipt of benefits under these Measures shall not affect the applicant’s eligibility for other policy support and preferential treatment from the national or Guangdong provincial governments.

In cases where these Measures overlap or conflict with other policies issued by the Cooperation Zone (or inherited from the original Hengqin New Area), applicants may choose the most favorable policy under the principle of “prioritizing higher standard without duplication”.

Article 33.

Application Procedures

The Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone will arrange for the centralized acceptance of enterprise applications annually (specific dates to be determined by the published application notice). Applicants shall submit their applications in a timely manner and in accordance with the prescribed requirements. Failure to apply in accordance with the requirements shall be deemed as an automatic waiver of their entitlement.

The Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone will review the applications and publish the list of approved applicants on the official website of the Cooperation Zone. If no objections are raised during the public announcement period or if objections are found to be unsubstantiated upon investigation, the funds will be disbursed accordingly.

Article 34.

Supervision of Funds

Applicants shall ensure the completeness, authenticity, accuracy, and legality of their application materials and shall bear the relevant legal responsibilities for the submitted project application materials. If an applicant provides false materials or fraudulently obtains support funds, serious measures shall be taken in accordance with relevant regulations, and legal liability shall be pursued. The applicant shall return all support funds together with interest calculated at the current Loan Prime Rate (LPR). Cases that constitute illegal or criminal activities shall be referred to the appropriate legal authorities.

Chapter IX

Supplementary Provisions

Article 35.

Implementation Guide

The Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone will develop operational guidelines for these Measures and be responsible for their implementation.

Article 36.

Right of Interpretation

The Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone reserves the right to interpret these Measures.

Article 37.

Effective Date and Validity Period

These Measures shall come into effect on January 1, 2024 and remain valid until December 31, 2025. Relevant funds that are payable but not disbursed within the valid period of these Measures shall continue to be paid until all payments have been completed.

Attachments:

1. Evaluation Criteria for Leading Demonstration Zones of Cross-Border E-Commerce in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin

2. Evaluation Criteria for Growing Demonstration Zones of Cross-Border E-Commerce in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin

Attachment 1:

Evaluation Criteria for Leading Demonstration Zones of Cross-Border E-Commerce in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin

Attachment 2

Evaluation Criteria for Growing Demonstration Zones of Cross-Border E-Commerce in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin