A comprehensive, three-dimensional, and systematic legal environment will be established for sci-tech innovation, the Standing Committee of the Zhuhai Municipal People's Congress announced June 2.

Institutional barriers will also be further removed, states the third edition of Regulations to Promote Scientific & Technological Innovation in the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone that becomes effective Aug 1. The guidelines support a culture that encourages innovation and tolerates failure so as to provide a healthy environment for innovation.

The city will continue to develop resources and construct infrastructure for science education and improved services. State Key Laboratories from Hong Kong and Macao are encouraged to establish branches in Zhuhai while international exchange and cooperation on sci-tech innovation will be promoted.

A science financial investment system will be established by municipal and district governments to encourage investment of non-government funds. Projects in basic and applied research will be set up to encourage the participation of institutions of higher learning, scientific research institutions, and enterprises.

Zhuhai Opera House on Yeli Island, Old Xiangzhou [Photo courtesy Zhuhai Daily]

For major technological research projects related to national or public interests, city and district governments will solve key technical problems by placing orders or assigning mandatory tasks. Management methods will also be devised to tackle key science and technology problems. In addition, major resource platforms for scientific infrastructure will have innovated management and operation mechanisms.

A special chapter is dedicated to intellectual property protection (IPR), which includes setting up compensation funds for IPR mortgage risks, and supporting financial institutions to carry out IPR pledge financing.

To introduce and cultivate sci-tech talents, municipal and district governments should implement training programs, coordinate industrial and sci-tech talent development schemes, and foster Zhuhai as a talent innovation hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Preferential policies on establishing enterprises, applying projects, registering households, enrolling children, employing spouses, and ensuring health will be provided for talents. Talent apartments will be built.

In addition, researchers in institutions of higher education, scientific research institutions in Zhuhai can, with the approval of their units, commercially apply sci-tech achievements by leaving their posts to start businesses, or taking part-time jobs and temporary positions in enterprises.

The comprehensive local statute first took effect Jan 1, 2011 and was revised for the first time in July 2016. The latest edition was adopted May 25 to accelerate the city's transition into an international center of sci-tech innovation in the Greater Bay Area.