Hengqin’s so-called ‘science city’ is officially under construction, local media outlets report. Covering an area of around 700,000 square metres, the three-phase development is set to receive 60 billion yuan (67 billion patacas) in investment.
When complete, it will have the capacity to accommodate 75,000 workers and 25,000 residents. Phase one’s focus is on a commercial and residential area, while phase two will establish an industrial park aimed at growing sectors such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing and big data. Phase three’s facilities will relate to biomedical and pharmaceutical research.
The science city’s overarching goals are to spur scientific research in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone and further solidify the Greater Bay Area’s status as a leading region in China for innovation and technology.
[See more: The GBA leads the rest of China when it comes to new inventions]
Construction of the science city is scheduled for completion in the second half of next year. It is currently the largest investment of its kind along the Pearl River Estuary’s west bank.
Ng Hong Kei, the general manager of a Macao-funded technology firm in Hengqin, told TDM that he saw potential for an important research and tech ecosystem in Hengqin. The various science-related enterprises already established there would “greatly enhance the clustering effect” sparked by new additions built as part of the science city, he said.
Hengqin is becoming increasingly important to Macao people as a place for both work and living. By 2035, the government anticipates around 120,000 SAR residents will live on the Zhuhai island – with 20,000 based there by the end of this year. As integration deepens within the Cooperation Zone, new ferry services are being proposed – and the University of Macau has announced plans to build a second campus in Hengqin.
