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

Guidelines of the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce on Special Measures for Supporting the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin by Relaxing Market Access

(No. 1730 [2023] of the National Development and Reform Commission)

Management Committee of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission, Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province, and relevant central state-owned enterprises (SOEs):

The construction of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin is a major decision planned, deployed and promoted by General Secretary Xi Jinping in person. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council also issued the Master Plan for the Construction of Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, which specifies the need to develop special measures to relax market access in the Cooperation Zone. With the purpose to thoroughly implement the decisions and directives of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, build a better market access system and market environment to support the moderate diversification of Macao’s economy, adhere to reform and innovation, expand institutional opening-up, promote Macao to integrate into the country’s overall development through innovative reform measures, and maintain the long-term prosperity and stability of Macao, the following guidelines are hereby put forward with the approval of the Central Leading Group for Coordinated Regional Development.

I. Improving Market Access in Modern Finance

1. Financial services related to livelihood shall be allowed to facilitate the needs of Macao residents. Relevant parties and units shall establish and improve the cross-border financial regulation and cooperation mechanism and improve financial products and services related to people’s livelihood for Macao residents in the Cooperation Zone. The deployment of intelligent terminals for Macao’s governmental services shall be permitted in designated areas within the Cooperation Zone and Macao dollar shall be accepted for payment. Mainland branches of banks in Macao, such as LUSO International Banking Ltd., Banco Nacional Ultramarino, and Tai Fung Bank, shall be supported to set up electronic smart counters, service windows, and other financial convenience service facilities in the Macao New Neighborhood and other designated areas to provide one-stop financial convenience services for Macao residents. The Unilateral Recognition policy for cross-border motor insurance between Guangdong and Macao shall be applied to Macao vehicles entering and exiting the Cooperation Zone through Hengqin Port.

2. Comprehensive services shall be provided to meet the financing needs of innovative resources in Macao. Efforts should be made to attract and pool high-quality global capital and international innovation resources. The Cooperation Zone shall take the lead to establish cooperation and exchange mechanisms with major securities exchanges within and outside China, in order to facilitate the investment and financing for innovative enterprises. Emerging industries such as deep sea and deep space, unmanned systems, biomedicine, new energy, electronic information and new materials shall be promoted to create new hubs of services and support for innovation and entrepreneurship in Macao, aiming to serve the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (hereinafter referred to as the “Greater Bay Area”), Portuguese-speaking countries, and the Belt and Road participants.

3. Chinese mainland shall be in line with international green finance standards and rules. The Cooperation Zone shall be supported in attracting and pooling various types of green financial service institutions to integrate domestic and international green financial standards and regulations, offer green financial products and services, and effectively connect international green projects and capital, making contributions to green and sustainable development of the Greater Bay Area, Portuguese-speaking countries, and the Belt and Road participants.

II. Relaxing market access in the field of cultural tourism

4. Market environment of cultural tourism industry shall be optimized. Hengqin and Macao shall jointly formulate policies to facilitate cross-regional traveling of international tourists and build a cross-border tourism industry chain featuring “multiple stops, comprehensive operation, and coordinated development”. Qualified tour agencies registered in the Cooperation Zone, invested by Hong Kong and Macao or by either, shall be permitted to carry out outbound tourism business (excluding Taiwan Region) for residents from Chinese mainland. Qualified Hong Kong and Macao tour guides, after recordation in the Cooperation Zone, shall be permitted to practice across nine cities in Chinese mainland within the Greater Bay Area. The tourist visa policy of Zhuhai Special Economic Zone shall be reviewed for potential optimization. Tourist buses with commercial single-plate registration from Macao shall be permitted to enter and exit the Cooperation Zone.

5. The cultural and art environment shall be optimized. Relevant parties and units shall support cultural exchanges and cooperation related to the Belt and Road initiative. High-quality cultural and artist resources, including performance, creation, capital, science and technology, shall be gathered in the Cooperation Zone to accelerate the development of Hengqin International Performing Arts Island. An international development zone for culture and art performance shall be built in the Cooperation Zone to attract renowned producers, performance agencies, and performance teams from Macao and beyond the Chinese mainland. The Cooperation Zone shall be supported in obtaining the administrative approval authority for holding commercial performances involving areas like Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as involving foreign countries. Relevant departments of Guangdong Province shall guide the Cooperation Zone to improve its comprehensive supervision methods, covering the pre-event, in-event, and post-event stages. Domestic commercial tours approved by cultural and tourism authorities at the provincial level or above shall be allowed to perform in the Cooperation Zone, provided they are filed for record in the zone. The Cooperation Zone is encouraged to jointly organize international major events with Macao, including electronic music festivals, film festivals, circus festivals, and esports tournaments. Qualified foreign art experts shall be permitted to apply for work residence permits to promote cultural exchanges and cooperation between Hengqin and Macao. International art colleges jointly run by China and other countries shall also be encouraged to establish in the zone.

III. Relaxing market access in the field of scientific and technological innovation

6. The Cooperation Zone shall be supported in building an international advanced technology application and promotion center. By leveraging the institutional advantages of the Hengqin-macao integration and with the purpose to promote the application of advanced technology, the Guangdong-Macao Hengqin International Advanced Technology Application and Promotion Center shall be established and operated as a market-oriented enterprise. It shall set a contact mechanism with important scientific research institutions, higher education institutions, leading innovative enterprises, and innovation consortia both within and outside the Chinese mainland to facilitate the connections with Macao, Portuguese-speaking countries, and other international innovation resources. Efforts shall also be made to attract globally competitive science and technology enterprises to the Cooperation Zone, and accelerate the aggregation of cutting-edge technological innovations and high-end innovation elements from both domestic and international sources. Based on both domestic and international circulations, it is necessary to promote the direct application and transformation of advanced innovation achievements within and beyond Chinese mainland in the Cooperation Zone and accelerate the direct application of strategic, cutting-edge and disruptive advanced technologies in their relevant fields. Investment platforms shall be built based on market-oriented principles. Communication channels between innovative resources and investment institutions shall also be built to attract high-quality investment institutions within and outside the Chinese mainland. These measures will provide financial support for the application of advanced technologies and the transformation of innovations, and promote the industrialized and large-scale application of new technologies. The Cooperation Zone shall also work with other international advanced technology application and promotion centers in the Yangtze River Delta, Hefei and other areas to share innovation resources and demand information, synchronize the process and evaluation of technology transformation, and promote integrated coordination and development.

7. The access environment for innovation and entrepreneurship shall be optimized. The innovative model of “Living in Macao and Working in the Cooperation Zone” and “Research in Macao and Transformation in the Cooperation Zone” shall be implemented to attract top-tier talents. Leading scientists shall be permitted to independently select and hire research teams for their projects and manage the use of research funds independently. After three to five years, the research quality, originality, and contributions of these leading scientists and their teams shall be evaluated through third-party assessment, international peer review and other methods. To facilitate the entry of high-level talents outside Chinese mainland and their teams into the Cooperation Zone, the construction of a new intelligent port between the University of Macao and the Cooperation Zone shall also be accelerated. A “white list” of research and development items shall be established for entities participating in the pilot scientific research program in the Cooperation Zone. This list shall exempt scientific research equipment, samples, reagents, consumables and other materials from mandatory product certification requirements upon entry into the zone. A classified and tiered risk management system shall be implemented to authorize the Gongbei Customs to carry out quarantine approval and optimize the customs clearance process for biological materials that meet biosafety control requirements for scientific research.

8. Scientific research management rules shall be aligned. Supervision of cross-border flows of science and technology funds in the Cooperation Zone shall be optimized. Banks shall be supported in establishing direct channels for science and technology enterprises within the Cooperation Zone. Current account research funds shall be permitted to allocated to leading scientific research institutions in Macao. Macao scientific research institutions in the Cooperation Zone shall be supported in formulating revenue and expenditure budgets for their research projects by following relevant standards from Macao. During the implementation process of cross-border scientific research projects, adjustments to the direct cost budget can be independently managed by the project’s supporting co-construction entities in accordance with the relevant regulations governing scientific research projects in Macao. New research and development institutions in the Cooperation Zone shall be supported in adopting the “budget plus negative list” model in their management. Under this model, scientific research funds (including provincial and municipal scientific research funds) shall be governed by the overall project budget without requiring detailed budget line items. Project leaders shall have the flexibility to manage and allocate funding expenditures according based on actual needs.

9. A sea-land-air comprehensive intelligent unmanned system shall be built in the Cooperation Zone. The Cooperation Zone shall be supported in planning and building a sea-land-air comprehensive intelligent unmanned system throughout its area. Utilizing well-established ports, industrial parks, urban roads, underground pipeline corridors, and air and sea transport routes, the Cooperation Zone shall integrate intelligent unmanned systems into general services to intelligent unmanned system, such as logistics distribution, transportation, environmental monitoring, urban management, border control, and cultural tourism, thereby enhancing the integration of industry and innovation resources related to intelligent unmanned systems. The Cooperation Zone shall participate in the construction of a unified underlying basic data system and open service application platforms. It shall hold global intelligent unmanned system exhibition and unmanned system equipment competition based on market-oriented principles. Unmanned space in the Cooperation Zone shall be further opened. Application approval process for flight activities shall be optimized to reduce the processing time. Pilot programs of launching cross-border and cross-domain logistics transportation routes for drones and unmanned ships between the Cooperation Zone, Macao, and its surrounding islands shall also be considered and implemented. Relevant international industrial standards organizations and certification institutions shall be supported to register in Macao and operate within the zone. Insurance institutions shall be supported to explore the development of insurance products for unmanned systems and providing related services. Efforts shall also be used to conduct overseas promotion of experiences in the intelligent unmanned system through advanced international technology application and promotion centers.

10. International green energy certificate platform shall be constructed. Relevant parties and units shall support enterprises in key industries in jointly establishing international green energy certificate centers that are registered in Macao and operate in the Cooperation Zone. These centers shall manage the certificate business for the Greater Bay Area, Portuguese-speaking countries and the Belt and Road participants. An international green energy certificate and trading platform shall be built using blockchain technology to manage the full lifecycle of certification vouchers, including generation, issuance, trading, verification, and statistics. This platform will feature auxiliary functions such as carbon asset management, carbon trading, and electricity-carbon measurement, aiming to establish and improve a comprehensive trading functionality system.

IV. Innovating the market access methods in the field of medicine and health

11. Market access for traditional Chinese medicine shall be relaxed. Relevant parties and units shall encourage traditional Chinese medicine preparations of Macao medical institutions to have their R&D and production in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparations Center of Guangdong and Macao Medical Institutions in the Cooperation Zone. They shall permit the Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparations Center of Guangdong and Macao Medical Institutions to undertake entrusted preparation of traditional Chinese medicine preparations of medical institutions beyond Guangdong Province. They shall also support the transformation of traditional Chinese medicine preparations, developed by the Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparations Center of Guangdong and Macao Medical Institutions, into new traditional Chinese medicinal products. Products that comply with relevant regulations may be exempted from conducting Phase I and Phase II clinical trials.

12. Market access for medicinal products and medical devices shall be relaxed. Research on application of clinical real-world data shall be encouraged to explore its use in the registration of pharmaceuticals and medical device products. The market regulation department of the Cooperation Zone shall be supported in managing export and sale certificates for Class II and III medical device products. Enterprises in the Cooperation Zone that produce Class III medical devices approved for clinical use within the Chinese mainland shall charge fees in accordance with the pricing policies for medical devices and medical services. The feasibility of establishing a dedicated channel to facilitate the distribution of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs for reasonable personal use by Macao residents in the Cooperation Zone shall also be seriously considered.

13. The R&D and application of new medical technologies shall be supported. Relevant qualification accreditation standards shall be developed for professional cell testing institutions and laboratories that assess the quality of stem cell preparations. Support shall also be provided for third-party medicinal products testing institutions and laboratories with the expertise to verify cell therapy products. Pharmaceutical enterprises registered and actively operating in the Cooperation Zone shall be encouraged to engage in international cooperation for clinical trials. Medical institutions in the Cooperation Zone shall be supported in conducting physical examination analysis and diagnosis by using cutting-edge testing methods. The approval procedures for activities related to human genetic resources involving international cooperation in clinical trials shall be relaxed, and the authority to record materials that do not involve human genetic resources leaving the China shall be transferred from the relevant departments of the State Council to the appropriate departments of Guangdong Province. The Cooperation Zone shall be supported in developing digital therapy and mobile medical care.

14. Restrictions on market access of medical institutions from Hong Kong and Macao shall be relaxed. Relevant parties and units shall encourage the establishment of Hong Kong or Macao wholly-owned or joint venture medical institutions in the Cooperation Zone, and formulate policies and measures for supporting service providers from Macao in setting up clinics, outpatient departments and other medical institutions in the Cooperation Zone. They shall also improve the two-way cross-border referral cooperation mechanism for Hengqin and Macao and optimize the referral process. For urgent referral patients, a “green channel” shall be launched to provide point-to-point cross-border referral services. Under the premise of fully protecting the privacy of personal data, and on the basis of “Macao One Count” system for Macao residents, pilot efforts shall be made to establish a mechanism for mutual recognition and sharing of medical documents and examination results between medical institutions in Guangdong and Macao, aiming to facilitate cross-border medical treatment for Macao residents.

15. The development of the high-end medical cosmetology industry shall be supported. Renowned medical cosmetology institutions from both within and outside the Chinese mainland shall be encouraged to settle in the Cooperation Zone. Relevant parties and units shall also identify and propose a list of imported drugs, medical devices, and cosmetic enterprises and products essential for the development of the medical aesthetics industry, while assisting relevant enterprises with registration. International high-level medical cosmetology doctors shall be permitted to independently carry out medical cosmetology projects after recordation for medical cosmetology attending physicians in accordance with relevant regulations.

V. Relaxing market access in the field of professional services

16. The access conditions for professional services industry from Hong Kong and Macao shall be optimized. Relevant parties and units shall support the Cooperation Zone to provide comprehensive intellectual property services, including rapid patent pre-examination, confirmation, and protection for innovative entities in the Cooperation Zone by collaborating with the Guangdong Intellectual Property Protection Center and the Zhuhai Intellectual Property Protection Center. Hong Kong and Macao companies providing building inspection services, property services, and other services shall be allowed to operate with ease in the Cooperation Zone. Site managers, registered safety officers, safety supervisors and inspectors, among others, of Hong Kong and Macao contractors shall be allowed to practice with ease in the Cooperation Zone. Hong Kong and Macao human resources service institutions shall be allowed to provide services in the Cooperation Zone. One-way recognition of professional qualifications for elderly care professionals from Hong Kong and Macao shall be promoted.

VI. Relaxing market access in other fields

17. Market access in the field of data communication shall be relaxed. Relevant parties and units shall create an open international Internet environment that converges with Macao. They shall support the development of the creator economy, explore the establishment of a product rights confirmation and export center for data metaverse and other products, and promote innovation in digital trade and international cooperation. Colleges and universities, research institutions, enterprises, and social groups in Zhuhai and Macao shall be allowed to jointly establish dedicated scientific research networks and manage them in accordance with the law. Within the national framework of cross-border data flow security management system, efforts shall be made to explore the formulation of rules and standards related to cross-border data flow while fully protecting personal privacy. This shall help accelerate the secure and orderly flow of data across borders in areas such as scientific research and healthcare. Besides, cross-border data service transactions shall be explored and the formulation of regulatory rules and standards be formulated.

18. Customs clearance and entry environment shall be streamlined for efficiency. Relevant parties and units shall explore a unilateral declaration by enterprises in the Cooperation Zone and implement it implemented on a pilot basis. The coordination model of customs control and inspection of high-tech goods such as vacuum packaged integrated circuit products shall be optimized. They shall implement “One-time Inspection” cooperation for exit and security checks at the Hengqin Port and study the feasibility of adding the function of waterborne port at the Hengqin Port. Other measures shall be implemented, including opening up the relevant waters of the Ferretti Yacht Marina, accelerating facility renovations, meeting the docking requirements for yachts, and endowing the marina with entry and exit inspection functions, so as to advance the implementation of the policy allowing free yacht travel between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. New direct transportation channels between Zhuhai and Macao shall also be established in specific areas within the Cooperation Zone and the specific areas shall be set as affiliated inspection and enforcement points of Hengqin Port to facilitate the access for Macao residents to the Cooperation Zone.

19. Business services for enterprises shall be improved. Enterprises registered in the Cooperation Zone shall be permitted to use the words “Hengqin” or “Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin” in their company names. The trademark acceptance window of the relevant functional departments in the Cooperation Zone shall be authorized to directly accept trademark registration applications from Macao enterprises that have business premises or fixed contact agencies within the Cooperation Zone. Relevant functional departments in the Cooperation Zone shall be supported in aligning with Macao’s market supervision rules and in introducing a non-punishment list for the economic sector.

20. The unique Macao branded industries shall undergo innovation. Utilizing the “first-line” duty-free policy for goods in the Cooperation Zone, relevant parties and units shall select high value-added imported materials and parts for processing and value-addition within the Cooperation Zone. Jewelry and jade enterprise groups and institutions within and outside the Chinese mainland shall be supported in carrying out processing, identification, exhibition, trading and other business of jewelry and jade in the Cooperation Zone. Macao’s renowned catering brands and traditional cuisines shall be introduced into the Cooperation Zone. After the relevant certification documents are issued by the competent authorities or industry associations in Macao and recognized by customs, food, raw materials, and other goods from these catering sectors shall be allowed to enter the Cooperation Zone with reduced import declaration and inspection and quarantine procedures. Commodities involving import tariff quotas shall be managed in accordance with the current policies. Small and medium-sized enterprises in Macao-branded industries, including science and technology R&D, high-end manufacturing, traditional Chinese medicine, and in industries including cultural tourism and trade exhibition, shall be actively supported in participating in the evaluation of enterprises that apply specialized and sophisticated techniques to produce unique and innovative products.

All departments and units shall take the initiative to strengthen coordination and cooperation, and advance the implementation of the above measures and tasks in a coordinated and efficient way. Guangdong Province and Macao Special Administrative Region shall provide all-round support for the implementation of the measures, and enhance communication and coordination with the relevant national departments. The Cooperation Zone shall maximize its main role, make meticulous arrangements and deployments, and formulate detailed implementation plans around the special measures. Meanwhile, the relevant departments, Guangdong Province, and other parties shall synchronously improve the regulatory rules. They shall focus on balancing relaxed market access with strengthened regulation, improving the pre-event, in-event, and post-event oversight of the entire process to ensure that the relevant market access restrictions are “Open and Well-managed”. In the implementation of these measures, any adjustments to existing laws and administrative regulations shall be managed in accordance with the relevant provisions outlined the Master Plan for the Construction of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. The measures in this document concerning market access opening and separate preferential treatment for Hong Kong and Macao services and service providers shall be implemented within the framework of the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, Macao Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). The National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce, in collaboration with the relevant departments, shall enhance coordination, cooperation and information sharing, ensure effective supervision and inspection, and organize specialized evaluations of the implementation outcomes. They shall study and formulate a new set of special measures for relaxing market access in the Cooperation Zone at an appropriate time. In the event of significant developments, they shall promptly report to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council for instructions.

National Development and Reform Commission

Ministry of Commerce

December 15, 2023