A REMEDY FOR SUCCESS

At 8 am on weekdays, Wong Chi Choi, a Macao resident, drives his wife from Fai Chi Kei in the Macao Special Administrative Region to the Hengqin Campus of the University of Macao and then either goes to work at his company located at the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Zhuhai, Guangdong province, or drives back to his Macao office.

After finishing work in the evening, he picks up his wife and returns to their home in Macao.

"When I first came to Hengqin in 2016, the commuting time between Macao and Hengqin was nearly two hours. Thanks to the measures to simplify the procedures for Macao-registered vehicles to enter Hengqin under certain conditions, the commuting time has been shortened to less than one hour, which greatly enhances my sense of happiness," says Wong, executive director of Authenmole (Macao) Traditional Chinese Medicine Technology.

Last year, passenger and cargo vehicles crossing the border checkpoint between Macao and the cooperation zone in Hengqin could utilize the one-stop customs clearance service as coordinated by the two sides instead of the previous respective checks.

Wong has another identity. He often discusses career opportunities with students and on one occasion he met a group from Lou Hau High School of Macao and invited them to visit the automated and intelligent production line of traditional Chinese medicines of the company he works in.

He told them that the cooperation model of Macao registration plus Hengqin production not only expands new channels for the development of traditional Chinese medicine in Macao, but also promotes the medicine's internationalization. To strengthen cooperation with Macao in traditional Chinese medicine, Hengqin has established a mechanism which allows medical products to be registered and sold in Macao, while being produced in Hengqin.

Wong has bought a property in Hengqin's Macao New Neighborhood, the first livelihood project built for Macao residents on the Chinese mainland. Covering an area of 190,000 square meters, the community consists of 27 buildings and some 4,200 apartments, with green spaces accounting for 35 percent.

"My baby was born this year, and the whole family is embracing a new life in our new home in Hengqin, which is a thriving and vibrant place," Wong says, adding the new residence cut down the commute time, bringing more convenience. He chose a three-room apartment with a balcony.

Spanning about 106 square kilometers, Hengqin Island is nestled in the southern part of Zhuhai, and is separated from Macao by a river. The unique location makes it play an irreplaceable role in connecting and interacting with Macao. It is home to the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone, which was established in 2021 by the central government to foster closer integration between the two regions.

The zone has become a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, hosting nearly 6,500 Macao-invested enterprises and providing a platform for new industries.