Hong Kong: First batch of mainland nurses to work in HK
A total of 70 nurses from Chinese mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area — the first group of nurses under a short-term exchange program introduced by the Hospital Authority last year — will come to work in designated Hong Kong public hospitals, starting in mid-April.
The nurses will be assigned work in the emergency and geriatrics departments of different public hospitals across the city to ease the manpower shortage. The average work experience of the nurses is over eight years, and some have worked in the field for over 20 years.
According to the HA, about 300 mainland nurses will come to work in Hong Kong in 2023 and 2024.
Macao: Over 480,000 visitors arrived during holidays
Over 480,000 people went to Macao during the six-day Ching Ming Festival and Easter break, with an average of 80,000 visitors per day, 4.4 times the number that went during the four-day Easter break last year.
Andy Wu Keng-kuong, president of the Travel Industry Council of Macao, said the city’s hotel occupancy rate reached about 80 percent on average during the break, adding that the ratio was quite satisfactory.
He noted that Macao remains an attractive short-term travel destination for Hong Kong visitors, and called on the government to enhance law enforcement on tourism violations such as “forced shopping”.
Guangzhou: Hospital for cross-border medical services opens
The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University opened a subsidiary hospital in the Nansha district of Guangzhou in late- March.
The hospital, equipped with many advanced medical testing technologies and medical robots, is expected to become a pilot hub for Hong Kong people and Macao people seeking medical services on the mainland. Medical fees for Hong Kong residents will be at the same level as they are for mainland residents.
Meanwhile, the subsidiary hospital is applying to be among the first batch of pilot medical institutions in Nansha to accept Hong Kong’s Elderly Health Care Vouchers.
It is also actively promoting the integration of cross-border medical services, and breaking barriers in conducting exchanges with overseas hospitals and accepting international commercial insurance payments.
Shenzhen: Nation’s first International Dark Sky Community
Xichong Community in Shenzhen’s eastern Dapeng New Area has been certified by the International Dark-Sky Association as an International Dark Sky Community (IDSC), making it the first of its kind in the country and the second in Asia.
An IDSC is a community that shows exceptional dedication to the preservation of the night sky through the implementation and enforcement of a quality outdoor lighting ordinance, dark sky education and citizen support of dark skies.
Zhuhai: Catalogue seeks more diverse development
The National Development and Reform Commission released an Encouraged Industry Catalogue in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin in early April in a bid to catalyze development of major industries in the cooperation zone and boost more-diverse economic development in the Macao Special Administrative Region.
Comprising 185 items, the catalogue focuses on scientific and technological research and high-end manufacturing industries; Macao-branded industries such as traditional Chinese medicine, cultural tourism, conventions and exhibitions; commercial and trade industries; and the modern financial industry.
One of the prerequisites for enjoying personal income tax preferential policies is that the individual should be working in the industries listed in the catalogue. Those individuals can enjoy a preferential policy that exempts the portion of personal income tax liability exceeding 15 percent of the income derived from the cooperation zone.
Jiangmen: Jiangmen ramps up efforts to develop marine economy
Jiangmen is striving to develop its marine economy as part of broader efforts to promote the development of emerging industries. According to the city’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) on the marine economy, issued recently by its natural resources department, Jiangmen aims to record over 75 billion yuan ($10.9 billion) in marine-related economic output by 2025, accounting for approximately 18 percent of its GDP. An annual growth target of 9 percent has been set for the period.
The coastal city is exploring ways to develop a “blue carbon” economy, with the aim of promoting development of such emerging fields as marine ecological restoration, ecological tourism, ecological breeding and “blue carbon” technical services, the government document said.
Zhongshan: Japan to use locally produced wind turbines
Zhongshan-based Mingyang Smart Energy delivered wind turbines for a Japanese offshore wind power project at the end of March, and shipped them to Tianjin Port. The anti-typhoon wind turbine is expected to provide electricity for 3,600 local households every year. Offshore construction started in early April, and is expected to be completed by the end of August, and be fully connected to the grid for operation in September.
Entry into the Japanese market will inject Chinese manufacturing power into Japan’s offshore wind power industry. It demonstrates the capabilities of China’s high-end manufacturing industry, and deepens exchanges between Chinese and Japanese companies in offshore wind power technology, setting a benchmark for cooperation between China and Japan in the new-energy field.
Foshan: 10 clusters in emerging fields to be formed by 2026
The Foshan municipal government recently proposed an Action Plan for Promoting High-quality Manufacturing Industry, focusing on the cultivation and development of emerging industries such as new-energy vehicles, high-end equipment manufacturing, high-end software, medicine and health, and robots. The document set out a vision that calls for 10 industrial clusters in emerging fields to be established by 2026.
This year, Foshan has arranged 546 provincial and municipal key construction projects. Most of the 133 provincial key industrial projects in Foshan are in strategic emerging industries, including new-generation information technology, bio-industry, new materials, and green and low-carbon industries. There are many blockbuster projects totaling tens of billions of yuan.
Foshan will focus on emerging industries such as cloud computing, big data, and artificial intelligence to build a new platform for digital industrialization in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Most of these projects are in the upstream value chain, such as the new generation of information technology, green low-carbon and new materials. Many industrial projects are planned to be completed this year or in 2024.
Huizhou: High-speed train allows novel approach for travel
On April 1, West Kowloon Railway Station in Hong Kong officially resumed connections and services to Huizhou North Railway Station, Huizhou South Railway Station, and Huidong Railway Station, with the number of trains increased to nine daily, with one to Huizhou North, six to Huizhou South, and two to Huidong. The round-trip travel time between Hong Kong and Huizhou has been cut to about one hour.
West Kowloon has adopted a “one location, two checks” approach. Passengers can board at any station along the route and complete immigration procedures for entry or exit upon arrival at West Kowloon.
Dongguan: Over 1,000 enterprises attend printing exhibition
More than 1,000 printing enterprises from 25 countries and regions attended the 5th International Printing Technology Exhibition of China (Guangdong), which was held in Dongguan from April 11-15 and showcased the latest printing equipment, technology and innovative solutions.
The exhibition, which was held both offline and online, is expected to attract 580,000 visitors, and release nearly 100 new products, some of which will make their debut in Asia or even worldwide.
A theme park based on green innovation was also set up as part of the exhibition, displaying advanced technologies and materials in 3D printing, metaverse, and green printing.
Zhaoqing: Three enterprises selected green manufacturers
Three enterprises in Zhaoqing have been selected as green manufacturing plants on the nation’s 2022 Green Manufacturing list, which was released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently. One product from Zhaoqing has been selected as a green design.
The newly announced green plants are Delta Aluminum lndustry Co Ltd, Zhaoqing Xiaopeng Automobile Co Ltd, and Shanying International Holdings Co Ltd. Marshal Ceramics Group’s marble and rock plate was selected as a green design.
So far, Zhaoqing has nine State-level green factories, eight State-level green design products and one State-level green industrial park.
