SZ-HK Cooperation Zone for Technology and Innovation at the Lok Ma Chau Loop: Small place that will make a big difference

2021-May-7       Source: Newsgd.com

The Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation Zone for Technology and Innovation (‘Cooperation Zone’) at the Lok Ma Chau Loop (“LMC Loop”) is a unique platform in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area t

The Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation Zone for Technology and Innovation (‘Cooperation Zone’) at the Lok Ma Chau Loop (“LMC Loop”) is a unique platform in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area that focuses on technological innovation. Leveraging on the special advantages of operating in a cross-border and cross-customs-territory manner as well as the ‘One Country, Two Systems’, the Cooperation Zone has become a new highlight of Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation in institutional and technological innovations. The above is a planning rendering of the Cooperation Zone.

The Cooperation Zone is located in the southern part of Futian District, Shenzhen, on the border with Hong Kong, covering an area of 3.89 square kilometres. It is comprised of two parks, the 0.87-square-kilometre Hong Kong park on the southern bank of the Shenzhen River and the 3.02-square-kilometre Shenzhen park (including Huanggang Port and Futian Bonded Area) on the northern bank of the Shenzhen River.

This Cooperation Zone enjoys four distinctive advantages: geographic location, institutional competitive advantage, unique spatial carrier and combined advantages from Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

The LMC Loop can be dated back to the training of the Shenzhen River, the boundary between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, in 1997. Before that, a piece of land with an area of only 0.97 kilometres was within the administrative boundary of Shenzhen. However, it was included within the administrative boundary of Hong Kong after the Futian Port/Lok Ma Chau River was straightened. This is the LMC Loop. Photo above: the Shenzhen River.

In 2008, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government (“both sides”) reached a preliminary agreement on the proposed land uses, which would concentrate on higher education, complemented by research and development of new high technology and cultural and creative industries. On November 13th, a cooperation agreement on the undertaking of a comprehensive study for the development of the LMC Loop was signed by both sides.

On January 3rd, 2017 both sides agreed to jointly develop the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (‘the Park’) at the A Zone of LMC Loop. In addition, Shenzhen was planning to develop a site of about 3 square kilometres on the north side of the Shenzhen River and adjacent to the Loop into a “Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Zone” which, in conjunction with the Park, will collectively form a “Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation Zone for Innovation and Technology”.

With a total investment of more than 61.5 billion yuan, the Cooperation Zone commenced the construction of the first group of projects, 14 satellite parks and supporting facilities in November 2019. So far, more than 100 research projects have been rolled out and are located in the Shenzhen park. A number of high-end scientific research projects and platforms have been completed and operated, such as an innovation and entrepreneurship project by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and CENI, a major national science and technology infrastructure project.

In August 2020, Shenzhen government issued the Opinions on Supporting the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation Zone for Technology and Innovation to Build an International Open Innovation Centre in the Shenzhen Park of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, proposing efforts from 7 aspects and 22 measures for supporting the Shenzhen park, such as a policy environment that benefits technology and innovation as well as a financial support system.

Comprehensive renovation for the Huanggang Port located in the Cooperation Zone began in June 2019. After 10 months, a 15,000-square-metre makeshift checkpoint with customs clearance functions was completed. Construction of the new checkpoint building kicked off in June 2020. A traveller-only checkpoint is expected to be completed and delivered for use in 2023. The above is a rendering of the new Huanggang Checkpoint.

In 2021, the e-service station for the Cooperation Zone was inaugurated, which is the only one-stop customs and administrative services centre in Shenzhen. Photo: e-service station in the Shenzhen park.

Young Hong Kongers play an increasingly active role in innovative and entrepreneurial activities within the Shenzhen park. Currently, there are 6 innovation and start-up communities for young people from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, covering a total area of 26,000 square metres. Two of the six have been established over the last two years, adding more than 10,000 square meters, which will accommodate about 1,500 young researchers and entrepreneurs from Hong Kong.

Author: Will, Michelle

Editor: Monica, Jerry

Editor: Will

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