Hengqin New Area is committed to institutional innovation and dedicated to fostering an international and law-based business environment: it has promulgated and implemented the nation’s first commercial registration management measures aligned with those of Hong Kong and Macao; established the nation’s first new agency integrating anti-corruption and prevention functions—the Hengqin New Area Integrity Office; and taken the lead in implementing a system for the declaration and public disclosure of leading officials’ family assets;It has established an efficient and transparent government service system, launching the “One-Stop Service for Public Welfare”; created a direct channel mechanism for policy alignment and project cooperation between Hengqin and Macao; and established an expert panel on Hong Kong and Macao legal issues. Parties involved in contracts or disputes regarding property rights and interests related to Hong Kong or Macao within Hengqin New Area may, through a written agreement, choose arbitration institutions in Hong Kong or Macao for arbitration.

　　【Headquarters Economy Policies】

　　■ Eligibility Criteria

　　Regional Investment Headquarters of Multinational Corporations: Entities that comply with the “Regulations on Foreign-Invested Investment Companies” issued by the Ministry of Commerce may apply directly for headquarters designation.

　　Regional Management Headquarters of Multinational Corporations: 1. The parent company’s total assets must be no less than US$400 million; 2. The total paid-in registered capital of the parent company’s investments within China must, in principle, be no less than US$10 million, and the parent company must authorize the management of at least two enterprises, both within and outside China.

　　Headquarters of Large Domestic Enterprises: 1. The parent company’s total assets must be no less than RMB 2.5 billion; 2. The parent company must have invested in or authorized the management of no fewer than three enterprises nationwide or within its management area, at least one of which must operate across cities or provinces; 3. Annual sales must exceed RMB 100 million, and the local tax revenue retained in this district must be no less than RMB 5 million.

　　Growth-oriented Headquarters: 1. Annual local tax revenue of no less than RMB 500,000; 2. In principle, no occupation of land resources in Hengqin New Area; 3. In principle, no occupation of public resources within the district or operation of specific projects.

　　■ Tax Incentives

　　Corporate income tax is levied at a reduced rate of 15%.

　　Hong Kong and Macao residents working at headquarters enterprises are eligible for certain personal income tax subsidies.

　　Headquarters enterprises enjoy certain preferential treatment regarding customs duties and other taxes.

　　■ Financial Incentives

　　Headquarters enterprises that make significant contributions are granted a certain percentage of financial incentives.

　　Senior management of headquarters enterprises are granted a certain percentage of rewards.

　　Headquarters enterprises are provided with a subsidy equivalent to a certain percentage of the cost of purchasing or leasing office space within the Hengqin New Area.

　　■ Government Services

　　The government provides comprehensive assistance to enterprises establishing headquarters in Hengqin, and offers preferential treatment in areas such as immigration and customs clearance, cross-border vehicle registration, priority household registration for talent, and school enrollment for the children of talent.

　　【Customs Clearance Policy】

　　A unique “segregated management” customs clearance system is in place, with the entire island operating under the principles of “relaxed first-line controls, strict second-line controls, separation of people and goods, and categorized management”;

　　Customs procedures for Hong Kong and Macao residents entering and exiting Hengqin have been streamlined, with 24-hour clearance now available at the Hengqin Lotus Bridge Port;

　　Regulations have been formulated and implemented for the entry and exit of Macau-registered vehicles into Hengqin (limited to driving within Hengqin).

　　【Tax Policies】

　　Eligible enterprises are subject to a reduced corporate income tax rate of 15%;

　　Implement a filing system for goods related to production entering Hengqin from overseas, granting tax exemptions or bonded status;

　　Goods from the mainland that are related to production and sold to Hengqin are treated as exports and eligible for tax refunds in accordance with regulations;

　　Goods traded between enterprises within the Hengqin New Area shall be exempt from value-added tax and consumption tax;

　　Hong Kong and Macao residents working in Hengqin are subject to the same personal income tax rates as those in Hong Kong and Macao. Any difference in personal income tax will be fully subsidized.

　　【Financial Policies】

　　Hengqin is encouraged to innovate in financial services, financial institution market access, financial markets, and financial products; expand financing channels; and conduct pilot programs to explore capital account convertibility.

　　Financial institutions within the zone are permitted to conduct offshore foreign currency business; they may establish or introduce trust institutions, issue multi-currency industrial investment funds, and conduct pilot programs for multi-currency land trust funds.

　　Encourage the establishment and promotion of pledge financing secured by intellectual property rights, revenue rights, fee collection rights, and accounts receivable, and vigorously develop lease financing.

　　Encourage the clustering of various trading platforms and financial institutions in Hengqin; vigorously promote non-cash payment instruments, particularly electronic payment instruments.

　　Support pilot programs for licensed personal foreign exchange conversion services, and explore pilot programs for two-way conversion of RMB with MOP and HKD under personal accounts within specified limits.

　　Encourage strengthened cooperation with financial institutions in Hong Kong and Macao, with a focus on building a financial back-office service base; explore freer capital flows between Hengqin and Hong Kong and Macao.

　　Delegate certain approval matters and regulatory authorities related to financial institution and business entry, currency transactions, and the foreign exchange market to the relevant financial regulatory departments in Zhuhai.

　　The total asset threshold requirement for Macao banks establishing branches or legal entities within the zone has been lowered to US$4 billion.

　　[Industry and Information Technology Policies]

　　Support Hengqin as a comprehensive reform pilot zone for modern service industries.

　　Support Hengqin in securing preferential policies as a national service outsourcing demonstration city.

　　Hengqin may independently approve foreign-invested training institutions. Actively support mainland educational institutions in collaborating with foreign and Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan educational institutions to establish Sino-foreign cooperative schools in Hengqin, including the establishment of vocational skills training institutions or the organization of vocational skills training programs.

　　Support the development of the Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Industrial Park, encourage innovative research in traditional Chinese medicine, and authorize Guangdong Province to pilot reforms to the drug regulatory mechanism.

　　Macao telecommunications operators may establish joint ventures with mainland telecommunications operators in Hengqin to operate basic and value-added telecommunications services.

　　Innovative operational and management models for the telecommunications industry are encouraged in Hengqin, and the exploration of more preferential tariff plans is supported.

　　Encourage the launch of a pilot program in Hengqin for the mutual recognition of electronic signature certificates among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao.

　　[Living Amenities]

　　High-quality educational services: Establish public kindergartens, primary schools, and secondary schools in accordance with world-class standards. Introduce top-tier international private schools.

　　High-quality healthcare services: Public general hospitals will be equipped to world-class standards. World-class specialized medical institutions and wellness centers will be introduced.

　　Comprehensive cultural and sports facilities: A rich array of community-based public cultural and sports facilities, complemented by cultural and sports venues capable of hosting world-class international events.

　　【Transportation Infrastructure】

　　Convenient Transportation: Hengqin is located on the western bank of the Pearl River estuary, at the heart of the Pearl River Delta.

　　Within a 100-kilometer radius of Hengqin, there are: 5 international and domestic airports (Hong Kong International Airport, Macau International Airport, Guangzhou International Airport, Shenzhen International Airport, and Zhuhai Airport), and 4 deep-water ports (Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, Gaolan Port in Zhuhai, Nansha Port in Guangzhou, and Yantian Port in Shenzhen).

　　Within Zhuhai City: 4 expressways (national backbone expressways such as the Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway, Tai’ao Expressway, and Coastal Expressway converge in Zhuhai), and 2 rail transit lines (the Guangzhou-Zhuhai Intercity Railway and the Macau Light Rail connect in Hengqin).