The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's top economic planner, has unveiled two plans that aim to boost cooperation and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

China expects Shenzhen's Qianhai to play its leading role in developing the Greater Bay Area and broadening Hong Kong's development space, according to the plan for the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone.

A view of Shenzhen's Qianhai.  Xinhua

By 2025, Qianhai aims to achieve comprehensive connections and convergence with the rules and mechanisms of Hong Kong and Macao, create a globally competitive business environment, establish several 100-billion-yuan value industrial clusters, build an innovation system with multiple driving forces, and create a modern coastal new urban area.

By 2030, the convenience of Hong Kong and Macao residents studying, working and living in Qianhai will be significantly improved, and the business environment of Qianhai will be globally top-tier.

By 2035, the cooperation zone, which covers an area of 120.56 square kilometers, shall have established an innovation-driven development model featuring industrial synergy and market connectivity with Hong Kong and Macao and become a new international trade center, an international high-end shipping service center, and an engine for high-quality development, said the document.

A view of Shenzhen's Qianhai.  File photo

According to the plan, Qianhai will feature a spatial structure comprising a new urban center, a green and vibrant coastal belt, two hub ports for international aviation and shipping, and five zones for industrial development related to scientific and technological innovation, international finance, conventions and maritime economy, commercial trade and logistics, and advanced manufacturing.

In the future, Qianhai will focus on developing several aspects, such as building an efficient new system for the area’s modern service industry in collaboration with Hong Kong and Macao. To this end, Qianhai will further open and innovate its financial industry, elevate its professional service industry to a more international level, actively develop new types of international trade, and nurture and strengthen its modern maritime industry.