On Oct. 14, 2020, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, delivered an important speech at the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, emphasizing the significance of "planning and building the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone (hereinafter referred to as the Hetao Cooperation Zone)." On Aug. 8, 2023, the State Council officially issued the Development Plan for the Shenzhen Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone (hereinafter referred to as the Hetao Plan), granting the Hetao Cooperation Zone three development orientations: "pilot area for deepening tech innovation cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, experimental zone for adopting advanced international tech innovation regulations, and aggregation zone for trial transformation within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area." The Hetao Plan clearly stipulates the need to advance the construction of the Shenzhen Park of the Hetao Cooperation Zone with high quality, high standards, and high levels. It also states the phased advancement of the Shenzhen Park's construction with 2025 and 2035 as key milestones. By 2025, an efficient cooperative mechanism for tech innovation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong will be established, showing positive results in open tech innovation cooperation. By 2035, a comprehensive pattern of collaborative innovation with the Hong Kong Park will be formed, making it a world-class research hub.
Photo by Commerce Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality
The Hetao Cooperation Zone is located in the border area between the northern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the central-southern part of Shenzhen. It serves as a natural convergence point between the northern metropolitan area of Hong Kong and the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Technology Innovation Corridor. Covering an area of approximately 3.89 square kilometers, it includes the 3.02-square-kilometer Shenzhen Park and the 0.87-square-kilometer Hong Kong Park (Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park).
The Hetao Cooperation Zone boasts a prominent location advantage, with two land border crossings, Futian Port and Huanggang Port, connecting Shenzhen and Hong Kong. It forms a "30-minute scientific research circle" with innovation hubs like Guangming Science City in Shenzhen and the Hong Kong Science Park as well as a "one-hour industrial circle" with cities like Guangzhou, Dongguan, and Huizhou. With a strong economic foundation and vibrant technological innovation, it possesses unique conditions for connecting to international tech innovation networks, engaging in international tech cooperation, and aligning with international standards, making it a distinctive platform in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area with a focus on tech innovation.
In recent years, the development and construction of the Shenzhen Park of the Hetao Cooperation Zone have achieved fruitful results, propelling cooperation in science and technology innovation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong to a new level. With the opening and operation of the Shenzhen branch of the Hong Kong Science Park, the first "joint policy package" between Shenzhen and Hong Kong has been released and implemented. A total of 800,000 square meters of scientific research space have been renovated and transformed, facilitating the integration of over 160 major scientific research institutions and corporate R&D centers, such as the International Digital Economy Academy and the City University of Hong Kong's Shenzhen Futian Research Institute, along with the Apple Application Research Laboratory.
Furthermore, the Social Security Special Fund for Science, Technology and Innovation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has been registered and established in the Shenzhen Park. Key policies including a preferential 15% corporate income tax rate and initiatives like "remittance service of funds for scientific research" have been smoothly implemented. Supporting facilities such as the "e-station" comprehensive service center and the Shenzhen Science and Technology Library (Futian branch) have been improved and perfected. The Hetao Cooperation Zone continues to emphasize the dual driving forces of technological innovation and institutional innovation, aiming to establish itself as a crucial hub of international science and technology innovation within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and become a significant engine for the high-quality development of the region.