The Hengqin School Affiliated to Hou Kong Middle School is the first of its kind for residents from Macao in the mainland.

The Hengqin School Affiliated to Hou Kong Middle School is the first of its kind for residents from Macao in the mainland. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

The health station of the Macau New Neighborhood in Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin opened in November, in accordance with the operational model of health centers in the Macao Special Administrative Region. It is staffed with doctors and nurses dispatched by Macao health facilities, and can use 296 drugs already licensed for use in the SAR.

The move came after the first 24-hour government self-service center outside Macao was officially launched in October, further enhancing the New Neighborhood's public service and social security system.

As the first comprehensive livelihood project jointly developed by Guangdong and Macao, the New Neighborhood was built exclusively for Macao residents. Since it began to accept subscriptions on Nov 28, 2023, more than 1,300 units have been sold, with more than 500 households already settled. In addition, the Hengqin School Affiliated with Hou Kong Middle School, the first school on the mainland for Macao students, has opened in the Macau New Neighborhood. Mirroring the Macao teaching approach and benefiting from the same free education perks, it currently serves about 260 students.

With upgraded public services and social security, the New Neighborhood is drawing more Macao residents to embrace a dual-city life in Hengqin. Luk Fung-syun, a caregiver for seniors who have settled there, said the elderly residents appreciate the comfortable living environment and convenient e-commerce services, as well as the diverse travel experiences. "The close proximity to Macao is crucial, allowing them to maintain their existing social relationships," noted Luk, adding: "Many seniors in Hengqin join volunteer groups to make new friends, and then reunite with old friends in Macao over morning tea."

Leong Oi-fa, 63, has opted to spend her retirement in Hengqin.  She mostly resides in Hengqin, returning to Macao on weekends to catch up with old friends or purchase Macao specialties. "Customs clearance is now very convenient. Macao residents living in Hengqin like us can bring fruits, flowers or cooked food back and forth, which is quite accommodating," Leong said.

The Macau New Neighborhood is a thriving example of a new residential haven aimed at improving the quality of life and career opportunities for Macao residents. The harmonized community has swiftly accommodated the influx across all age brackets, while continuing to evolve. To support Macao's young entrepreneurs, the cooperation zone has introduced measures to boost innovation and entrepreneurship, including increased support in venue rental, startup incentives and funding. Innovation bases have been established, and 86 Macao youth startup companies have been evaluated. According to Xinhua News Agency, as of November this year, Hengqin has developed and incubated a total of 815 entrepreneurial projects for young people from Macao.

In addition, the cooperation zone has set up a Guangdong office for the Macao Youth Federation, and partnered with the Macao Youth Development Services Center for internships, jobs, exchanges and entrepreneurship. Over the past three years, 366 companies have participated in recruitment, offering over 5,900 job opportunities to residents from both Macao and Hengqin.

Calvin Sio, a post-1990s Macao entrepreneur and founder of Chazence, which specializes in eco-innovation in tea, set up its R&D headquarters in Hengqin last year. "I felt the great support for youth innovation and entrepreneurship," he said. "The preferential policies and open environment in Hengqin provide incubation of the entrepreneurial base, which has helped my company grow from a small initial idea to a biotechnology company with an international vision."