CRNTT:

The Nansha plan proposed to build Nansha into a new home for Hong Kong and Macao youths by creating a cooperation platform for youth entrepreneurship and employment. In particular, it aims to raise the number of residents from Hong Kong and Macao in Nansha significantly by 2035. Could you share with us what measures Guangdong has made in this regard? What key policies and measures will Guangdong take next in attracting Hong Kong and Macao youths? Thank you. 

Zhang Hu:

Thank you for your questions. General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that efforts must be made to create more opportunities for young people in Hong Kong and Macao and help them solve practical difficulties and problems in their study, employment and starting up of businesses and create a social environment favorable for them to realize their dreams. In recent years, Guangdong has actively supported and facilitated innovation, entrepreneurship, and employment among Hong Kong and Macao youths in the province. We have initially established a "1+12+N" system of innovation and entrepreneurship incubators for Hong Kong and Macao youths, under which "1" refers to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Guangdong) Innovation and Entrepreneurship Incubator, "12" refers to the twelve key incubators in the Pearl River Delta, and "N" refers to the various distinctive incubators spread across Guangdong. With this system, we have incubated 2,394 projects for Hong Kong and Macao youths and attracted 3,455 Hong Kong and Macao youths to work in Guangdong. We have also organized job fairs for college students of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA and offered nearly 100,000 job and internship vacancies to Hong Kong and Macao youths. The master plan has listed cooperation in youth entrepreneurship and employment as one of its five priorities, with unprecedented expectations, support, favorable policies, and rare opportunities.

Next, Guangdong will actively seize the major opportunities presented by the master plan and let more Hong Kong and Macao youths share the development opportunities of the GBA, better integrate into national development and actively participate in national construction with good resources, conditions, and platforms. The following three areas will be our key priorities.

First, we must create opportunities and coordinate youth innovation and entrepreneurship efforts. We will improve the construction of key innovation and entrepreneurship projects such as the GD, HK & Macao (International) Youth Entrepreneur Hub and the Cultural Innovation Community for Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao Youths. We will introduce innovative management modes for these projects and expand their services to foster a quality ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship. We will push ahead with efforts for qualified one-stop innovation and entrepreneurship platforms to enjoy the preferential tax policies offered to tech enterprise incubators in accordance with rules. We will also include qualified business starters from Hong Kong and Macao under the coverage of entrepreneurship subsidies of Nansha and let them equally enjoy such support policies as guaranteed loans and interest subsidies.

Second, we must improve the environment and provide a better guarantee for jobs and internships. We will accelerate efforts to build a public platform for comprehensive employment services. Nansha's program for Hong Kong and Macao youths to work in local enterprises will be further implemented to align with the Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme and the Thematic Youth Internship Programs on the Mainland of the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. We will also explore ways for public institutes, statutory institutes, and state-owned enterprises in Nansha to recruit youth talents from Hong Kong and Macao. Besides, we will make it more convenient for Hong Kong and Macao professionals to work and practice in Nansha with improved policies and services for them in various aspects from entry and exit, housing, transport, and education to healthcare and social security and medical insurance. We will work wholeheartedly to see that Hong Kong and Macao youths can work in Nansha worry-free. 

Third, we must build bridges to strengthen cultural exchanges among youths. We will work to do a good job in building the headquarters for exchanges among youths of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, actively carry out cooperation on study tourism of teenagers, and build up several distinctive brands of exchange programs. We will tap Guangzhou's advantages as the place of origin of the Maritime Silk Road, the center for Lingnan culture, and its forward position for reform and opening up. We will work with Hong Kong and Macao to hold various forms of cultural and art activities to guide teenagers of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao to actively participate in the protection and utilization of major cultural heritages and constantly boost their sense of belonging to the motherland and sense of identity to the "one country, two systems" principle. Thank you.

Xing Huina:

Thank you to all speakers and friends from the media. Today's press conference is now concluded. 

Translated and edited by Cui Can, Wang Wei, Xu Kailin, Ma Yujia, Lin Liyao, Liu Qiang, Zhang Liying, Zhang Junmian, He Shan, Zhou Jing, Wang Qian, Zhu Bochen, Yuan Fang, Zhang Tingting, Yang Xi, David Ball, Tom Arnsten, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.