An urban design of the Shenzhen-Zhuhai Cooperation Demonstration Zone (Houhuan area near Qi'ao Island) has been put out for bidding and is expected to cost the National Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone (Tangjiawan) 6 million yuan ($930,600).

The public bidding invitation was posted Sept 10 on the Zhuhai Public Resource Trading Center website and Guangdong Province Bidding & Supervision Network. Bids will be opened in December with compensation made to design teams ranking second to fifth.

Forward-looking development strategies are sought along with spatial blueprints and implementation measures. The cooperation demonstration zone is to be designed as a central intelligence district that connects Zhuhai and Shenzhen innovation resources and industries.

Shenzhen-Zhuhai Cooperation Demonstration Zone is laid out between Qi'ao Island and Gangwan Avenue [Photo by Wu Changfu / Guanhai App]

Situated along Gangwan Avenue between the Qi'ao Bridge and Jinfeng Discharge Channel in northeast Tangjiawan, the 6.63-sq-km (2.56-sq-mile) Houhuan area will be the initial 30-sq-km (12-sq-mile) core along with Qi'ao Island. The Main Park of the Hi-Tech Zone will serve as an extended area. Planned are adequate industrial and transport systems in harmony with surrounding areas and projects, Tian Jianhua, deputy director of the Zhuhai Natural Resources Bureau, said at a Sept 9 press conference.

The entire demonstration zone is to become a new driving force for high-quality economic development, new highland in reform and innovation, and significant base for regional cooperation. It is to lead in high-end education, independent innovation and emerging industries with aggregated talents and resources as well as vibrant scientific innovation, said Wang Zhuo, deputy director of the Hi-Tech Zone Administration Committee.

Construction of the cooperation demonstration zone was first proposed by the Zhuhai government in October 2019 to integrate development of the east and west banks on the Pearl River. It was included into Zhuhai's Government Work Report in June 2020 and on Feb 2 this year in Guangdong's Opinions on Supporting Zhuhai in Building a Modernized & Internationalized Special Economic Zone in the New Era of Socialism With Chinese Characteristics.

Last month it was reported that Shenzhen Geekvape Technology would build an electronic atomization equipment industrial park, Shenzhen Rayson Technology a headquarters base, and five other cooperative projects with Shenzhen would be advanced as the Hi-Tech Zone develops a Shenzhen-Zhuhai Cooperation Demonstration Zone.