This year marks the fifth anniversary of releasing the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Over the past five years, the mega project, Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link, has been completed, and initiatives like "Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Scheme" and "Hong Kong-Macao Medicine and Equipment Connect" have been implemented. Besides, the policies of "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles and Macao Vehicles" have also been successfully launched. With just 0.6% of China's land area, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) has generated one-ninth of the national GDP, emerging as one of the most open and economically dynamic regions in the country.

Physical connectivity: accelerating the development of the"one-hour life circle"

On June 30, 2024, Lingdingyang witnessed the opening of another "mega project"—Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link. These mega projects have promoted the flow of various elements within the GBA, speeding up the development of the GBA.

In May of 2024, the four lines of the Guangdong Intercity Railway were connected, marking the first intercity railway across multiple cities in the GBA, linking Zhaoqing, Foshan, Guangzhou, Dongguan, and Huizhou from west to east. From Panyu District, Guangzhou, it takes just 30 minutes to reach Foshan and Dongguan, and 60 minutes to reach Zhaoqing and Huizhou, accelerating the development of a "one-hour life circle" in the GBA.

A series of measures for "physical connectivity" have shortened the physical distances within the GBA, and accelerated the integrated development of the GBA. For example, the opening of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, and ports such as Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Control Point, Hengqin Port, and Qingmao Port, along with the implementation of the policies of "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles and Macao Vehicles".

Institutional connectivity: the GBA Connect initiative promotes regulatory and mechanism alignment

At the 135th Canton Fair this April, Kuang Yuqiu, a lawyer from Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), provided legal consulting services to participating enterprises. She is among the first four Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR lawyers authorized to practice in the nine cities of the GBA.

She commutes daily between Macao and Guangzhou, thanks to the "physical connectivity" of convenient facilities. The "institutional connectivity" of new cross-boundary practice policies has enabled her to become the first lawyer from Hong Kong and Macao to provide legal services at the Canton Fair.

This demonstrates the alignment of regulations and mechanisms among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. Over 140 administrative services are now available for cross-boundary processing; more than 3,000 professional qualifications have been mutually recognized; the "Hong Kong-Macao Medicine and Equipment Connect" has been successfully implemented, approving 24 drugs and 17 medical devices; and the innovative "Bay Area Social Security Service" has been implemented, with over 300,000 Hong Kong and Macao residents participating in pension, unemployment, and work injury insurance in Guangdong. These measures for "institutional connectivity" have accelerated the flow of talent and capital within the GBA, unleashing powerful momentum for high-quality development.

On-the-ground practice: "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles" exceeds one million trips

Over the past five years, public security departments in Guangdong province have issued 95,000 vehicle permits for "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles and Macao Vehicles." Since the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, it has witnessed over 10 million cross-boundary vehicle trips.

The successful implementation of the policies of "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles and Macao Vehicles" has sparked a trend of travel between the north and south, bringing new impetus to the integration of the GBA.

Recent data shows that since the implementation of the scheme of "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles," the number of Hong Kong single-plated vehicles crossing the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has exceeded one million trips, marking a new milestone in the integration of the GBA.

硬联通软联通齐头并进，湾区融合跑出“加速度”

今年是《粤港澳大湾区发展规划纲要》发布5周年。“超级工程”深中通道建成通车，“跨境理财通”“港澳药械通”落地实施，“港车北上”“澳车北上”顺利实施……5年来，粤港澳大湾区以不到全国0.6%的国土面积，创造出占全国1/9的经济总量，成为我国开放程度最高、经济活力最强的区域之一。

硬联通：大湾区“一小时生活圈”正加速形成

2024年6月30日，伶仃洋的海风又见证了一项“超级工程”——深中通道的通车。一个个超级工程加速了湾区各类要素流动，轨道上的大湾区也在提速。

今年5月，广东城际“四线”贯通，这是大湾区首条跨多城的城际线路，由西向东串联起肇庆、佛山、广州、东莞、惠州。从广州番禺出发30分钟直通佛山、东莞，60分钟抵达肇庆、惠州，大湾区“一小时生活圈”正加速形成。

广深港高铁、港珠澳大桥通车，莲塘/香园围口岸、新横琴口岸、青茂口岸开通，“港车北上”“澳车北上”实施……一系列“硬联通”举措，缩短了大湾区内的物理距离，为粤港澳大湾区融合发展按下“加速键”。

软联通：“湾区通”推动粤港澳规则衔接、机制对接

今年4月开幕的第135届广交会上，来自澳门的粤港澳大湾区律师邝玉球为参展企业提供法律咨询服务。她是全国首批获准在粤港澳大湾区内地九市执业的4名港澳律师之一。

早上从澳门出发，傍晚从广州返回。便捷的“硬联通”设施，让邝玉球实现了大湾区内一日通勤；跨境执业新政的“软联通”，则让她成为首名为广交会提供法律服务的港澳律师。

这是粤港澳三地规则衔接、机制对接的一个缩影。粤港“政务通办”事项超140项；累计职业资格互认超3000人；“港澳药械通”顺利落地实施，累计批准24个药品和17个医疗器械；创新实施“湾区社保通”，港澳居民在粤参加养老、失业、工伤保险累计超30万人次……一系列“软联通”举措，让大湾区内人才、资金等要素流动再提速，迸发出高质量发展的澎湃动能。

一线实践：“港车北上”突破100万辆次

5年来，广东公安机关共核发“港车北上”“澳车北上”机动车牌证9.5万副；港珠澳大桥开通以来，出入境车辆累计突破1000万辆次。

“港车北上”“澳车北上”的顺利实施，掀起了“北上南下”的双向奔赴热潮，为粤港澳大湾区融合发展带来了新动能。

最新数据显示，“港车北上”落地实施以来，经港珠澳大桥出入境的香港单牌车已突破100万辆次，粤港澳大湾区融合迎来新里程碑。

文｜记者 张璐瑶
翻译丨邹晓华