Two investment and cooperation projects valued at 2.1 billion yuan ($331.5 million) contracted to settle in the proposed Hezhou New Area on Jan 26, which will benefit local cross-border e-commerce and biomedical industries. 

The 100-million-yuan ($16-million) Global Central Warehouse for Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Cross-border Trade is invested by Zhuhai-based Guangdong Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Investment Management, China's first private technology-based supply chain enterprise focusing on reserved foreign trade.

To provide 24/7 service, the warehouse will open roadway passages connecting Hong Kong and Macao for e-commerce. It will also apply a convenient custom clearance model that allows for rapid inbound and outbound transport, as well as cargo changing and transferring. 

With the help of supply-chain advantages brought by the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the warehouse will strive to build a cross-border e-commerce industrial cluster featuring distinctive Zhuhai characteristics. Its annual import and output trade volume is estimated to exceed 50 billion yuan ($8 billion) upon operation. 

Rendering of Daan International Innovation Valley [Photo courtesy Zhuhai Daily]

With investment of 2 billion yuan ($316 million) from Macao Dakang Development, Daan International Innovation Valley will become a Macao-style incubator, accelerator, and shared factory for the international biomedical industry. Its functions will include international trade and training certification, biotechnology and pharmaceutical research and development, as well as clinical trials.

Jointly developed by Sun Yat-sen University and Guangzhou-based Daan Gene, the valley will be established as a national technological incubator, which is now home to over 300 big health companies with independent innovation capabilities. Thirty more companies and the headquarters of two listed companies are expected to settle there with the latest investment. 

The signing ceremony was held online owing to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak and two sub-venues were set up in Macao and Guangzhou.