When the the Pearl River flows into the sea, the tide surges.
On December 11th, another major cross sea project in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area, the Huangmaohai Cross Sea Passage, was officially opened.
In the Greater Bay Area of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, there are numerous cross river and cross sea passages and bridges, turning natural barriers into smooth paths; High speed rail speeding, dense road network, and world-class airport clusters extending in all directions
One country, two systems, three tariff zones, and three currencies. Some people say that the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area has completely changed the lifestyle habits of a generation.
The 'hard connectivity' of transportation infrastructure and the 'soft connectivity' of rules and mechanisms are connecting the hearts of residents in the Greater Bay Area. Why go in three directions? The reporter went into the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Bay Area, an international first-class bay area that demonstrates the characteristics of Chinese path to modernization, to find the answer.
'Hard connectivity': the road from natural barriers to connectivity
On the Lingdingyang, the vast expanse of smoke and waves, the sea and sky merge into one color, and the Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge flies like a giant dragon on the azure sea.
Since its completion and opening in October 2018, with the implementation of the policies of "Hong Kong cars heading north" and "Macao cars heading north", this bridge connecting Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao has continuously broken records for new car and passenger traffic. According to data from the Hong Kong Zhuhai Macau Bridge border inspection station, since 2024, the daily average clearance volume of single license plate vehicles in Macau has exceeded 4100, while in Hong Kong, the daily average clearance volume of single license plate vehicles is nearly 4200. The highest daily traffic flow on the bridge exceeds 22000 vehicles.
The Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge is the first large-scale cross sea transportation project jointly built by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao under the "One Country, Two Systems" policy. On October 23, 2018, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, President of the People's Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge, announced the official opening of the bridge, and toured the bridge. Xi Jinping emphasized, "This is a bridge of realizing dreams, a bridge of unity, a bridge of confidence, and a bridge of rejuvenation
On June 30, 2024, another highly anticipated mega project in the Greater Bay Area, the Shenzhen Zhongshan Cross River Passage, was completed and opened.  
Within the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area, the number of cross river and cross sea access roads continues to increase. Six of them have been completed and opened to traffic, namely the Humen Bridge opened in 1997, the Huangpu Bridge opened in 2008, the Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge opened in 2018, the Nansha Bridge opened in 2019, the Shenzhen Zhongshan Passage opened in 2024, and the Huangmaohai Cross sea Passage. There are also three channels under construction, namely the Lion Ocean Channel, the planned Lotus Mountain Channel, and the Lingdingyang Channel.
The road for Hong Kong and Macao residents to visit relatives and return home has become closer and smoother. According to incomplete statistics, on average, one out of every five Hong Kong residents has ancestral roots in Jiangmen, and one out of every three Macau residents has ancestral roots in Jiangmen. Hong Kong Legislative Council member Lu Weiguo said that starting from Hong Kong, driving through the Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge and the Huangmaohai Cross Sea Passage can reach Taishan City in Jiangmen faster.
In recent years, the "hard connectivity" of transportation infrastructure in the Greater Bay Area has been continuously accelerating, providing a smooth "artery" for the integrated development of the Bay Area and regional coordinated development.
Outside the cross sea and cross river channel group, the 'Greater Bay Area on the track' is accelerating the formation of a '1-hour living circle'. Starting from Guangzhou South Station, taking the Guangzhou Shenzhen Hong Kong high-speed railway only takes 48 minutes to reach West Kowloon Station in the center of Hong Kong.
Nowadays, the multi-level rail transit system of the Greater Bay Area urban agglomeration is constantly improving, and a multi-level transportation network pattern composed of national railway trunk lines, intercity railways, and urban rail transit has been initially formed. The construction and operation of rail transit mileage has exceeded 5400 kilometers.
In May of this year, the longest intercity railway in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area was completed, forming a 258 kilometer long transportation artery that connects Huizhou, Dongguan, Guangzhou, Foshan, and Zhaoqing from east to west. Passengers taking intercity railways are as convenient as taking the subway, achieving on-demand travel without the need to purchase tickets in advance, making travel time more flexible, "said Zhang Qiao, Chief Engineer of the Vehicle Service Center of Guangdong Intercity Railway Operation Co., Ltd.
In addition, the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area is rising to become a world-class airport cluster. At present, there are 7 transportation airports in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area, with well connected air routes. On November 28th this year, the three runway system at Hong Kong International Airport was officially put into use, increasing the airport's overall capacity by 50%. It can handle 120 million passengers and 10 million tons of cargo annually.
The implementation of the three runway system will further enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong as an international aviation hub, while also adding wings to the ability of the entire Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area to connect with the international community, "said Zhang Lijia Hui, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Airport Authority (AA).
'Soft Connectivity': A New Practice of 'One Country, Two Systems'
Tan Xiaohong, one of the first practicing lawyers from the Greater Bay Area in Macau, has been practicing in Nansha, Guangzhou for over two years. After becoming a lawyer in the Greater Bay Area, her business became even busier, often shuttling between cities in the Greater Bay Area such as Guangzhou, Zhuhai, and Macau. Tan Xiaohong said that she hopes to leverage her own strengths to assist Macau in integrating into the national development plan and aligning with the rules of the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area.
The prominent feature of the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area is "one country, two systems, and three jurisdictions". In recent years, the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao have had a positive linkage, complementary advantages, and jointly promoted development in the economic and social fields. However, in the judicial field, there are differences in the legal rules and judicial practices in the civil and commercial fields of the three regions.
The prerequisite for the connection of judicial rules is in-depth communication and cooperation among judicial practitioners. As of September this year, nearly 500 Hong Kong and Macao legal professionals have obtained the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area Lawyer Practice Certificate. They travel back and forth between mainland China and Hong Kong and Macao, not only providing professional legal services, but also constantly adapting to the mainland legal system and integrating into local life.
In recent years, there has been an increasing number of activities such as judicial assistance, exchanges, seminars, and mutual learning between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao, effectively promoting the strengthening of legal recognition, consensus, and mutual trust among the three regions, "said Gu Enzhen, President of the Fourth Civil Division of the Guangdong Provincial High People's Court.
The "Bay Area Standards" are an important carrier for the connection of rules and mechanisms in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area. In April 2023, the Guangdong Provincial Market Supervision Administration, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's Industry and Trade Department, and the Macao Special Administrative Region Government's Economic and Technological Development Bureau jointly signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on Jointly Promoting the Development of Standards in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area, establishing a cooperation mechanism for the "Bay Area Standards" among the three regions.
At present, Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao have jointly released 215 standards, covering 32 areas such as food, traditional Chinese medicine, transportation, elderly care, and logistics, with a focus on key livelihood areas that are highly common and easy to integrate among the three regions. Zheng Wentao, Director of the Standardization Department of the Guangdong Provincial Administration for Market Regulation, said, "We adhere to the common concept of 'one bay area, one standard', continuously promote the convenient flow and optimized allocation of various factors in the Greater Bay Area, and promote high-quality development of the bay area
In February 2023, the Qianhai Shenzhen Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone welcomed 30 financial reform and innovation measures, including "Hong Kong Enterprise Loans".
Previously, our business and credit records in Hong Kong could not be used to support bank loans for companies registered in Qianhai, "said You Zunni, the head of Hong Kong Shun (Shenzhen) International Trade Co., Ltd. The company is a Hong Kong funded enterprise that has settled in Qianhai, and" Hong Kong Enterprise Loans "provide a new cross-border financing channel for Hong Kong funded small and micro enterprises like them.
In November of this year, the first batch of 207 Hong Kong engineers passed the evaluation of engineering professional titles in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area and obtained the corresponding engineering professional title qualifications in mainland China. The Director of the Development Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Ning Hanhao, said that the successful completion of the first batch of professional title evaluations for pilot projects reflects the country's support and care for Hong Kong professionals, and can also enable Hong Kong professionals to better contribute to the country's development.
In October of this year, the Hong Kong SAR government and the Ministry of Commerce jointly signed an agreement to further reduce or eliminate the entry barriers for Hong Kong service providers in the fields of finance, telecommunications, construction, tourism, and others. Hu Jianmin, Deputy Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, said that this means more Hong Kong professionals can obtain professional qualifications in mainland China.
In recent years, the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area has firmly relied on reform, opening up, and innovation to embark on a new path of high-quality development. Nowadays, from livelihood areas such as education, healthcare, and social security to professional fields such as cross-border finance and cooperation inspections, from cross-border talent exchanges, cross-border vehicle travel, cross-border data circulation to cross-border cooperation in government services... Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao continue to expand the coverage of rule and mechanism connections, gradually addressing the difficulties and bottlenecks that residents in the Greater Bay Area are concerned about.
Heart to Heart Connection: Creating a High Quality Living Circle
"I remember when I was a child, my parents took me to Zhongshan to take a hot spring bath. I left Hong Kong for an hour to Macao, then transferred to Zhuhai Special Economic Zone, and then crossed the border to Zhongshan. It took me nearly a day to travel from Hong Kong to Zhongshan. Now I take my child to Zhongshan in less than an hour." Huo Qigang, a deputy to the National People's Congress and a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, said that the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area has changed the living habits of a generation.
Over the past five years since the release of the "Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area", the Greater Bay Area has not only formed a "1-hour living circle", but also built a "high-quality living circle".
Entering the Hengqin Guangdong Macao Deep Cooperation Zone Government Service Center, 156 service windows can handle 998 government service items from 20 departments. Qiu Runhua, Deputy Director of the Business Service Bureau of Hengqin Guangdong Macao Deep Cooperation Zone, said that the government service center minimizes the number of business and public trips, making it convenient for Macau residents to come to Hengqin for employment, life, and entrepreneurship.
In September of this year, the "Navigation Positioning Microwave Ablation System" developed by Macau based company True Health (Guangdong Hengqin) Medical Technology Co., Ltd. was approved for market by the National Medical Products Administration. The founder of the company, Zhang Haoren, stated that since the company's headquarters officially moved to the Hengqin Guangdong Macao Deep Cooperation Zone in 2023, the company's development has entered a fast lane.
On November 30th, the Guangdong Hong Kong cross-border direct ambulance service was launched. Ambulances with license plates from Guangdong and Hong Kong can be transported through point-to-point customs clearance from the University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Hospital to designated public hospitals in Hong Kong. This will significantly reduce the clearance time for patient transportation and minimize the risks for patients during transportation. With the acceleration of medical integration in the Greater Bay Area, the number of Hong Kong and Macao residents seeking medical treatment in the north is also increasing.
Currently, Guangdong is working together with Hong Kong and Macao, guided by the health needs of the people in the bay area, with the goal of shaping a healthy bay area, and with the three links of medical care, talent, and medicine and equipment as the starting point, resonating with each other and taking the initiative to promote the high-quality development of health in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area, "said Liu Liqun, Director of the Guangdong Provincial Health Commission.
It is reported that since the beginning of this year, Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao have continuously deepened the connection of medical service rules and mechanisms, and continued to build a high-quality and efficient health service system. The blueprint for the "Healthy Bay Area" in the "Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area" is accelerating its formation.
As one of the most competitive and dynamic regions in the Chinese economy, the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area will have an economic total of over 14 trillion yuan in 2023.
The "Shenzhen Hong Kong Guangzhou" technology cluster has been ranked second in the Global Innovation Index by the World Intellectual Property Organization for five consecutive years. At present, the R&D investment intensity in the Greater Bay Area exceeds 3.4%, and major technological indicators such as R&D funding, effective invention patents, and international patent applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) remain at the top of the country.
With the deepening of cooperation in areas such as economy, technology, culture, and people's livelihood in the Greater Bay Area, a high-quality living circle that is livable, business friendly, and tourist friendly is constantly expanding new spaces.
At present, over 200000 Hong Kong and Macao residents are working and developing in Guangdong, and over 340000 Hong Kong and Macao residents have participated in pension, unemployment, and work-related injury insurance in Guangdong. Integrated development and joint construction of the bay area have become a common consensus among residents of the three regions. The sense of gain, happiness, and security among the people in the three regions is constantly increasing.
Looking forward to the future, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will work together to build an international first-class bay area that connects domestic and international double circulation, walks out the road of high-quality development, and demonstrates the characteristics of Chinese path to modernization.