Overview.
Located in the southwest of the Pearl River estuary in Guangdong Province, with Hong Kong in the east and Macao in the south. It is a key point of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. In just three decades Zhuhai has gone from a poor fishing village to a prosperous modern city as one of China’s first special economic zones: the city has always prioritized ecological development, boasting one of the best environments in China. Since the Hengqin FTZ (Free Trade Zone) came into operation in 2015, the city has played an increasingly important role in China’s Belt & Road Initiative. It has cooperated with Macao to build a world-class tourism and leisure center and China-Portugal economic and trade cooperation platform. Economic and trade relations with Latin American countries have also been continuously strengthened through diversification and the furthering of secure access to the outside world.
The second largest port city (behind Shenzhen) in China it has population of 1.6 million (2015. Zhuhai has three districts（Xiangzhou, Doumen and Jinwan) and five economic zones (Gaolan Port Economic, Zhuhai Hi-Tech, Zhuhai Free Trade, Hengqin FTZ, and Zhuhai Wanshan Marine Development Experimental).
The city has focused its industrial development on high-end services, high-end manufacturing, hi-tech industry, marine economy and eco-agriculture. It is home to high-end manufacturing enterprises such as China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s (CNOOC) deep ocean engineering equipment department, Sany Heavy Industry, Ferretti, China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co (CAIGA) and Gree Electric Appliances. The high-tech field is represented by Kingsoft, Xiaomi Tech, Meizu and United Laboratories.
Transport Links
The 55km Hong Kong-Zuhai-Macao bridge is an ongoing project due to open in 2018.
Gaolan deep water port is one of the leading International ports in Guandong province. Specializing in petrochemicals, energy and equipment the port handled 107 million tons of cargo in 2014. Following the opening of the Guangzhou-Zhuhai Railway and Gaolan Port Expressway at the end of 2012, the port has advanced its distribution and collection network. A harbor industry cluster involving fine chemicals, petrochemicals, electric power, energy, offshore equipment manufacturing, and leisure tourism has been formed, too.
Port logistics is a supporting industry of this zone. Fortune Global 500 enterprises such as BP, SANY, Shell, Lubrizol, Solvay, Hutchison Whampoa as well as central enterprises like CNOOC, PetroChina, SinoChem, COSCO, and Shenhua have settled here.
http://en.investgaolan.gov.cn/
Zhuhai Airport accommodated 4.08 million flights in 2014, this is expected to increase to 12 million by 2020.
Hengqin Free Trade Zone
Situated in the south of Zhuhai the Hengqin FTZ (Free Trade Zone) is only 34 nautical miles from Hong Kong. Covering 28 sq km, the FTZ plans a land reclamation project to double in land mass by 2020.
Preferential policies
- Eligible enterprises in Hengqin are taxed at a reduced rate of 15 percent.
- Administration of bonded or tax exempt production-related goods entering Hengqin from abroad has been conducted.
- Production-related goods sold from areas of the Chinese mainland to Hengqin are treated as exports and enjoy tax refunds.
- Transactions among enterprises located within the Hengqin FTZ are exempted from any value-added tax and/or consumption tax.
- Hong Kong/Macao residents working in Hengqin receive the appropriate China Individual Income Tax (IIT) deduction from the Guangdong Provincial Government so that their effective China IIT burden would be close to what they would pay if they instead had been working where they are domiciled.
- Clearance procedures for residents of Hong Kong and Macao entering and leaving Hengqin are simplified, with 24-hour passage at the Lotus Bridge Checkpoint.
- Administrative regulations for Macao vehicles with single license plates (to be operated exclusively within Hengqin) have been issued.
Industrial Parks
These include: Zhuhai Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, Zhuhai Free Trade Zone, Wanshan Marine Development Experimental Zone, Zhuhai Aviation Industrial Park, Fushan Industrial Park.
LETS Creative Park
LETS Cultural District is located in the former Daishan Industrial Park, Qianshan, in the Xiangzhou District of Zhuhai. The Xiangzhou District is the political, economic and financial center of Zhuhai, hence, the ideal spot for a cultural park. The creative park will cover an area of 80,000 square meters and will be inaugurated this coming September. LETS is now renting the shop and office areas to interested clients.
By combining business with tourism, culture and recreation, LETS Cultural District will be able to cover different needs. A large business area will welcome creative companies and start-ups, and give them a platform where they can turn their ideas into innovations. Apart from office buildings, shared offices and a park, this quarter will also include interactive workshop areas that can be rented for the long run or as a pop-up workshop for a short period.
The new Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge which will be located in the Xiangzhou District will be completed soon. For this reason, Zhuhai’s business center will flourish in the upcoming years. Zhuhai is expected to become an economic power due to its new proximity to the international business centers Hong Kong and Macau. LETS Cultural District is ideally located in between the Nanping Bridge and the Qianshan Bridge. Hong Kong and Macau, therefore, are just a short journey over a bridge away.