12 | Tuesday, October 22, 2019 CHINA DAILY

Bridge anniversary celebrated as number of tourists increases By YUAN SHENGGAO 2.71 The one­year anniversary of the million opening of the Hong Kong­Zhu­ the number of visits to Zhuhai hai­Macao Bridge will be cele­ during the recent National Day brated this month and Zhuhai holiday locals say it has made the city bet­ ter. As the only city on the Chinese economy and a world­class mainland that connects both attraction. With growing economic strength, Zhuhai is an important part of the Guangdong­Hong Kong­Macao Greater Bay Area. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY Hong Kong and Macao with a This year, the city government bridge, Zhuhai enters a new era put forward an idea to develop for tourism development thanks three touring sites for the public to the bridge and other newly add­ to further beautify the environ­ ed facilities. ment — a range of parks that the During the recent National Day locals called the “city balcony”, the Zhuhai emerges as a leader holiday on Oct 1 ­ 7, the city wel­ Yeli island and Yinkeng peninsula. comed more than 2.71 million vis­ The “city balcony” will have var­ its, up 7.2 percent year­on­year. It ious facilities for marine sight­see­ was among the 10 most popular ing such as pavilions and trails cities for individual tourists dur­ stretching along the long coast­ in region’s economic growth ing the period, as reported by Chi­ line of the city. It will also intro­ nese major online travel services duce culture, tourism and platform Ctrip. commerce­related business. The Coastal city is only gent computing center to innovate Foreign visitors came from project is expected to improve the mainland area with chips’ design and inspection that countries like the United States, well­being of local residents while will back artificial intelligence Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, attracting tourists. road links to Hong development. Vietnam and Australia. The Hengqin New Area is on Kong and Macao Emerging industries, such as The most visited popular tour­ track to becoming an internation­ information technology, advanced ism sites in the city are the Hong al leisure tour island to integrate equipment manufacturing, biologi­ Kong­Zhuhai­Macao Bridge; with the economy of neighboring By YUAN SHENGGAO cal medicine, new energy vehicles, Zhuhai Opera House, a shell­ Macao. The orientation is set digital innovation and new materi­ shaped building on an island; a according to a proposal by the Zhuhai, a coastal city in South als, are also highlighted. landmark statue of fisher maid­ National Development and China’s Guangdong province, is As the host city for major interna­ en; the Zhuhai Chimelong Ocean Reform Commission in April. forging ahead to contribute to the tional and national conventions and Kingdom and amusement park, The Wanshan district of Zhuhai economic and social development exhibitions like the China Interna­ the outdoor hot spring tourism is famous for its many islands. In of the Guangdong­Hong Kong­Ma­ tional Aviation & Aerospace Exhibi­ resort in Doumen district and May, Lyu Hongzhen, director of cao Greater Bay Area as a regional tion, the China­Israel Investment the newly opened Lion Gate the management committee of gateway, local officials and experts Summit and China­LAC Business films experience entertainment the district, said at a news confer­ said. Summit, the city expects to further backed by virtual reality. ence in Beijing that the district is The Bay Area program is a new improve its modern services indus­ According to the development developing a wedding service attempt to promote opening­up and try and attract more projects that plan for the Guangdong­Hong industry base, an outdoor sports implement the “one country, two support regional economy. Kong­Macao Greater Bay Area center and offshore fishing tours. systems” policy, Guo Yonghang, Par­ Officials said Zhuhai will also released in February, the Bay Area The district held its first coast­ ty secretary of Zhuhai, told Nanfang learn to integrate its advanced man­ aims to build an excellent envi­ al wedding carnival, a food sea­ Daily earlier this year. ufacturing industry with the mod­ ronment for living, business and son, mountain marathon and In the nation’s master plan for ern services industry in Hong Kong travel. sailboat racing this year as part developing the Bay Area, Zhuhai has and Macao, to improve the city’s The plan also said the sea and of its goal to build a high­end been mentioned 20 times, showing commerce, tourism, logistics, coastal resources should be made marine and island vacation des­ its important role and new opportu­ finance and other service­related most use of to develop a marine tination. nity in the coming years, he said. industries. Cultural, agricultural Guo added the city has seen a his­ and sports exchanges, such as sail­ toric change in its geographic posi­ ing, tennis, car racing and organic tion. agriculture, are also in the pipeline. After the Hong Kong­Zhuhai­Ma­ From top: The Hong Kong­Zhuhai­Macao Bridge that becomes To better serve Hong Kong and cao Bridge opened in October 2018, operational on Oct 23, 2018. LI JIANSU / FOR CHINA DAILY A China­Israel Macao’s residents who live and work Zhuhai became the only city on the tech investment forum is one of the important international events in Zhuhai, the city gives them the Chinese mainland with bridge links held last year in Zhuhai. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY same rights in house purchases, to both Hong Kong and Macao. That children’ education and medical distinction will allow Zhuhai to be a tourists to Zhuhai but also boost the Science and Technology Industrial care in the Hengqin New Area — a base for innovative companies, tal­ cooperation between the city and Park, the Hengqin Science City and pilot area in Zhuhai for its coopera­ ent, capital, technology and culture Hong Kong and Macao. the Hengqin­Macao Youth Entre­ tion with Hong Kong and Macao — — the basis for continuous vitality of It now only takes 30 minutes to preneurship Valley. as Zhuhai’s residents. a city, he said. drive from Zhuhai to Hong Kong, Zhuhai encourages regional Liang Junjie, vice­president for While building a high­standard compared with three hours of driv­ exchanges of tech talent, research market research and development transport hub, Zhuhai will further ing before. A new customs clearance fund and commercialization of at Hong Kong­Macao Intelligent promote high­quality development procedure also saves time for cargo research results, on the way to build­ City (Hengqin) Project Develop­ of its coastal economy and make flow, according to the local govern­ ing itself into an international scien­ ment Co, told local media that he itself an important gateway of the ment. tific innovation center, according to was impressed by the high efficiency Greater Bay Area, Guo said. The city has participated in the the local government. of the local government. Du Manchang, associate profes­ development of the Guangzhou­ The city is also developing provin­ “Many of our projects involve sor of Zhuhai Party School, told Zhu­ Shenzhen­Hong Kong­Macao Tech­ cial or national­level laboratories, affairs that need approvals from the hai Special Zone Daily that the nological Innovation Corridor. It such as a southern maritime science government. Every department is Hong Kong­Zhuhai­Macao Bridge has built multiple innovative plat­ and engineering laboratory. It has helping us simplify the procedures significantly shortens travel time, forms, such as the Guangdong­Ma­ cooperated with the Chinese Acade­ and expedite the approval period, Cultural activities like concerts are frequently held in Zhuhai to which will not only attract more cao Traditional Chinese Medicine my of Sciences to build an intelli­ which saves a lot of time,” he said. improve the local quality of life. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

nesspeople and tourists. And the bridge will further bring the two cit­ Expatriates laud project for making travel much easier ies closer to the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world. By YUAN SHENGGAO The bridge can greatly promote the flow of cargo and people among the The Hong Kong­Zhuhai­Macao three cities and will create more job Bridge, which has been in operation opportunities in many sectors, Ladre­ for a year, is making travel much eas­ da said. ier among the three cities, said expa­ “For companies, better connectivi­ triates in Zhuhai. ty will save time and costs,” he added. An expat with the given name Leung Chun­ying, former chief Lorelei, who is from Los Angeles, the executive of the Hong Kong Special United States, has lived and worked Administrative Region, said the in Zhuhai for the past five years. bridge’s potential is yet to be fully She had taught in a local interna­ explored. tional school for four years and now A Russian aerobatic team per­ “The bridge would be a good start­ runs an educational media company forms during the biennial Air­ ing point,” Leung said. “This is not in Zhuhai. show China in Zhuhai. just about getting financial return on She said the bridge is making life PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY the massive investments that have much easier for expats as well as tour­ been made by all sides. It’s about get­ ists. ting economic and social dividends.” “Since the bridge opened, I have The Zhuhai WTA Elite Trophy is one of the international sports events that expats and locals can enjoy However, he said “So far we have been to Hong Kong about once a in this coastal city. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY not used the bridge to its fullest month or every other month. I also go The bridge would be potential”. to Macao for dining and visiting According to Leung, in the first 10 friends. I now have a Hong Kong Dis­ her LA home to Disneyland in Ana­ “For me, the bridge is the much bet­ the bridge itself is a main tourist a good starting point. months of operation, average daily neyland pass and can travel there heim because she can take the same ter, easier and faster way,” he added. attraction. This is not just about flow was 3,800 vehicles. On a 12­hour more often,” Lorelei said. airport bus, stopping further along “All you need to do is to take a taxi to “Every day in Zhuhai I see tourists basis, the flow was equivalent to five “From my apartment to the Hong the route. the bridge port and then take the bus taking pictures with the bridge in getting financial vehicles per minute. Kong airport, it now takes me less “Flying frequently between Hong or the car from the port to Hong Kong background,” Popovic said. return on the massive “The flow is small because exist­ than an hour (by taking the airport Kong and Los Angeles, the bridge or Macao. It’s very convenient and Victor Ladreda from Spain is head ing policies allow only a small num­ bus),” she added. makes life much easier, not just for very fast.” of Zhuhai Hengqin Free Trade Zone’s investments that ber of vehicles to cross the bridge. The traditional method of travel to me but friends and family,” Lorelei He thinks the bridge is very impor­ trade and investment representative have been made by The number of dual­licensed vehi­ Hong Kong is via ferry. said. tant for expats in Zhuhai like himself office in Spain, who flies frequently cles in Hong Kong plus vehicles that “With the bridge, I no longer worry Blazo Popovic from Serbia shares because they often use Hong Kong between Spain and Zhuhai. all sides. It’s about are allowed under the existing quo­ about running late, being slowed the same views with Lorelei. He has airport when they travel to Europe or Ladreda said the bridge is among getting economic and ta system are too small,” he down by traffic or the weather and I been in Zhuhai for one year and is try­ other destinations around the world. the most impressive projects in the explained. don’t worry about ferry tickets being ing to start a business consulting And the Hong Kong airport has more world and will help boost the integra­ social dividends.” He suggested the quota be adjust­ sold out,” Lorelei said. company. international flights than its neigh­ tion of the three cities of Hong Kong, Leung Chun-ying, former chief ed depending on resultant traffic A frequent visitor to Disneyland, “I use not only the bridge to go to bors. Macao and Zhuhai. executive of the Hong Kong Spe­ conditions and applications by driv­ Lorelei said it is faster for her to get to Hong Kong, sometimes I use the fer­ While helping tourists’ travels He said Hong Kong and Macao are cial Administrative Region ers be made online with instant Disneyland in Hong Kong than from ry,” Popovic said. among the three cities, Popovic said major destinations for foreign busi­ approval.

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