The closest distance from Hengqin to Macau is only 187 meters. The distance of 187 meters used to be not only a bay facing each other across the coast, but also a barrier between two systems, two currencies, and two tariff zones. Nowadays, at the Hengqin Port, the fastest clearance time is only 20 seconds, which is only about 2 seconds slower than the world record for the 200 meter sprint. With the return of Macao, especially the continuous promotion of the construction of the Hengqin Guangdong Macao Deep Cooperation Zone, the bridge and urban rail have opened up geographical barriers, and collaborative innovation has broken through institutional barriers, achieving spiritual integration of life and production. Qin'ao and Qin'ao are achieving historic breakthroughs through high-quality integrated development, writing a new chapter in the practice of "One Country, Two Systems". At 13:11 on December 2nd, the first train of the Macau Light Rail Hengqin Line departed from the Lotus Station in Macau, crossing the bay in 20 seconds. From now on, with Hengqin Port as the hub, Hengqin Station will be connected to the Macau Light Rail and the Zhuhai Intercity Railway Phase II, and then connected to the Pearl River Delta intercity transportation network, directly linking Macau and mainland rail transit. Passengers can take this 2.2-kilometer-long light rail to travel back and forth between Hengqin and Macau, with trains departing every 6 minutes. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Macau Light Rail Transit Corporation Limited, He Jiangqi, said that the Hengqin Line of Macau Light Rail Transit is a closely connected line between Macau and Qinhuangdao. The integration of Macau's public transportation network into the Greater Bay Area can help Macau more actively integrate into the "one hour living circle" of the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area. From the world-renowned Hong Kong Zhuhai Macau Bridge to the Macau Light Rail Hengqin Line, the infrastructure "hard connectivity" between Qinhuangdao and Macau continues to strengthen, making travel between the two places increasingly convenient and smooth. At Hengqin Port, vehicles can complete customs clearance to and from Qin'ao in as little as 2 minutes, while pedestrians can do so in as little as 20 seconds. Fu Yongge, Deputy Director of the Executive Committee of Hengqin Guangdong Macao Deep Cooperation Zone, said that the continuous improvement of the "hard connectivity" level of infrastructure and the continuous improvement of residents' access convenience are of great significance for optimizing the business environment, promoting regional economic cooperation, and promoting industrial coordinated development. In 2024, the total number of inbound and outbound passengers at the Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge and Hengqin ports both exceeded 20 million, setting a new historical high. After the opening of Qingmao Port in 2021, the number of people crossing the border has reached 68 million as of September this year. Since the implementation of the "Australian cars heading north" policy, the flow of inbound and outbound traffic at Zhuhai Port has rapidly increased. According to data provided by the Hong Kong Zhuhai Macau Bridge border inspection station, as of November 27th, over 2.5 million vehicles traveling north to Macau have been inspected. A series of data shows that 'Qin'ao Same City' is already in sight. Starting from January 1, 2025, the policy of "one trip per week" for tourism to Macau in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, and the policy of "one visa, multiple trips" for tourism to Macau in the Hengqin Guangdong Macau Deep Cooperation Zone will be implemented. At that time, registered residence residents of Zhuhai City can apply for "one week tour" to Macao for endorsement, and registered residence residents and residence permit holders of Hengqin Guangdong Macao Deep Cooperation Zone can apply for "one sign and many lines" to Macao for endorsement. It's more convenient to travel between Qinhuangdao and Australia for work and entrepreneurship Liang Jiaxing, a young man from Macau who has been running a tea restaurant in Hengqin for 10 years, said. In the view of Liang Jiaxing, who started his own business as soon as he graduated in 2015 and has been deeply involved in Hengqin for 10 years, the "soft connectivity" of the rules and regulations in Qinao is constantly deepening, and Hengqin is a thriving and vibrant place. As a new practical carrier of the great concept of "One Country, Two Systems", the Hengqin Guangdong Macao Deep Cooperation Zone continuously breaks down institutional barriers, supports the moderate and diversified development of Macao's economy, and supports Macao's better integration into the overall national development. On March 1st of this year, the cooperation zone officially implemented the policy of line management, marking a breakthrough in the integration of Qin'ao. The Administrative Affairs Bureau of the Hengqin Guangdong Macao Deep Cooperation Zone introduced that since the implementation of the policy 8 months ago, the flow of people, vehicles, and goods has been smooth and orderly, with over 14.93 million people entering and leaving the Hengqin port and over 1.606 million vehicles entering and leaving the country; More than 12.698 million vehicles were inspected and released from the "second-line" channel. The steady release of various policy dividends injects strong momentum into the development of the Hengqin Guangdong Macao Deep Cooperation Zone. Over the past three years since its establishment, the proportion of Australian funded enterprises in the cooperation zone has continued to increase. As of the end of October, there were 6521 Australian funded enterprises among the operating entities; In the first half of this year, the added value of Australian funded industries reached RMB 1.88 billion, a year-on-year increase of 125.9%. The diversification of Macau's economy has also achieved results. In 2023, the total added value of four key industries in Macau, including traditional Chinese medicine and modern finance, will reach MOP 39.05 billion, an increase of 6.9% compared to 2019; The proportion of the gambling industry in the local gross domestic product has decreased by 14 percentage points compared to 2019. On November 1st, the "Macao New Neighborhood" Elderly Service Center (hereinafter referred to as the "New Neighborhood Elderly Center") in Hengqin was officially unveiled, providing more comprehensive and caring service options for elderly people aged 55 and above living in the Hengqin Guangdong Macao Deep Cooperation Zone. 63 year old Macau resident Liang Aihua chose to retire in Hengqin. She spends most of her time in Hengqin every week and returns to Macau on weekends to reunite with old friends or purchase some Macau specialties. Now customs clearance is very convenient, and as Macanese living in Hengqin, we can bring fruits, flowers, or cooked food back and forth, which is very humane, "said Liang Aihua. The Family Community Service Center and the New Neighborhood Elderly Center have been put into use one after another, and the dual currency acquiring business pilot has achieved convenient use of Macau dollar mobile payment wallets in the cooperation zone... The continuously improving public services and social security system of the Australian style new home is attracting more and more Australians to enjoy the "seamless switching" of dual city life. The human fireworks are the most soothing. As of July this year, the number of Macau residents living and residing in the cooperation zone reached 16102, and the number of employed people reached 5098. The "Macau New Neighborhood" project, designed for Macau residents, has sold over 1300 households, with more than 500 families having the opportunity to move in. At the Hengqin Comprehensive Service Center in Macau, mainland residents are taught fitness dancing, singing Peking Opera, and practicing calligraphy, while Macau residents are taught how to make egg tarts and paint oil paintings. This complementary and harmonious scene is impressive. In the view of Wu Xiaoli, President of the Macau Association of Neighborhoods, the unique community services in Macau are spreading out in mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area, promoting each other and giving people better expectations. Integrated development is the trend. The scenery is harmonious, and the heart is in harmony. The Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region, He Yicheng, said that integrating into the overall development of the country is a necessary part of the practice of "One Country, Two Systems" in the new era, and it is also the key to the new direction, new space, and new driving force for the future development of the Macao Special Administrative Region. (New Society)