Industry, transportation, urban development, and people's livelihoods were highlighted during the 1st Session of the 10th Zhuhai Municipal People's Congress, which opened Jan 12. Mayor Huang Zhihao delivered the 2022 Government Work Report and noted that the annual target for the city's GDP growth in 2022 is 6.5 percent. 

Ten major goals have been outlined for the year:

In terms of cooperation between Zhuhai, Macao, and Hong Kong, the city will work with the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin to introduce new projects. Connection of traffic operations and infrastructure between Zhuhai and Macao ports will be strengthened. Construction of the Hezhou New Area and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Logistics Park will be accelerated. A Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) economic zone is planned while a high-end aviation industrial cluster will be established together with Hong Kong. Innovative Zhuhai companies will be supported to go public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, and bonds issued to Macao. 

A 10-billion-yuan ($2-billion) capital pool for attracting major projects will be set up and over 100 emerging industrial projects are to be reserved for future investments. Zhuhai will accelerate introduction of electronic information industry projects, especially those in the integrated circuit sector to provide solid support in turning Guangdong into China's triode of the IC industry. 

Over 10 billion yuan will be allocated this year for the construction of citywide industrial parks. To enhance speedy project settlement, Jinwan and Doumen districts each will prepare over 3,000 mu (494 acres) of contiguous land lots and 1,000 mu (165 acres) of plots will be available in the Zhuhai National Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone (Tangjiawan). The Zhuhai part of a large-scale Jiangmen-Zhuhai High-End Industry Agglomeration Area will commence construction soon. The city will also be established as a regional consumption center. 

Rendering of Zhuhai (Jinwan) Airport after renovation and expansion [Photo by Zhang Zhou / Zhuhai Daily]

A future technology city will be built in Tangjiawan at a 6-sq-km (1,483-acre) initial area in the Houhuan Area. Local companies are encouraged to set up innovation centers in other cities with rich innovation resources such as Shenzhen. More technical, young, and innovative talents will be introduced or cultivated.

A total investment of 115.5 billion yuan ($18.1 billion) will go to 465 major construction projects. A Zhuhai Industry Museum will be built. State-owned assets and enterprises will be guided to shoulder more responsibilities in industrial development, urban construction, and public services. Measures will be taken to support the private economy and improve services provided to foreign-funded enterprises in the city.

Link lines of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor, west extension line of HZMB, and loop line of city urban rail transit are currently being planned. Construction, renovation, and expansion of Zhuhai (Jinwan) Airport, Zhuhai-Jiangmen section of Zhuhai-Zhaoqing High-speed Railway, Hezhou-Hengqin section of Guangzhou-Zhuhai (Macao) High-Speed Railway, and Hezhou Railway Station will be moved forward.

Xianghai Bridge, Phase II of Hezhou-Gaolan Port Expressway, and the north section of Xingye Express Road are expected to open this year. Traffic pressure on 10 roads including Renmin Road and Nanwan Avenue will be relieved. 

Demonstration sites will be built in Zhuhai communities and villages for fully-covered sanitary sewage treatment networks. The China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition venue will be turned into a popular attraction year-round. A national aviation & aerospace museum and Zhuhai Space Center are also proposed.

Twelve public kindergartens will be built or renovated to enroll 4,500 preschool children and 17 new primary and middle schools will offer public education for an additional 15,900 students. 

Efforts will be devoted to the development of rural sightseeing, island tourism, and urban agriculture as well as protection of traditional countryside villages and architecture. 

In terms of creating a safe and stable development environment, Zhuhai will implement normalized COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control measures with Macao. It will also team up with Audit Research Institute of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to set up a risk monitoring center.

An efficient, clean government under the rule of law will also be constructed.