GBA Briefs

Hong Kong: Self-service kiosk launches for HK residents in Macao

Hong Kong residents and enterprises in the Macao Special Administrative Region can now access Hong Kong public services, free from the hassle of cross-boundary travel, with the setting up of a self-service kiosk at the Macao Government Services Centre.

The kiosk, which opens from 9 am to noon and 1 pm to 6 pm on workdays, offers 70 types of public services concerning taxation, company registration, property-vehicle registration and enquiries, welfare and education, healthcare, and voter registration.

Macao: Hengqin Port sees record 30 million passenger trips

Hengqin Port had logged more than 30 million passenger trips as of Dec 28 — an almost 33-percent increase over the same period in 2024 and setting a new annual record for the port.

More than 20 million trips were made by Chinese mainland travelers, representing a nearly 26-percent year-on-year growth. The number of trips by Hong Kong and Macao residents through the port rose by 44 percent and 50 percent year-on-year, respectively. Since the start of 2025, the number of trips by foreign tourists has reached 450,000 — an 85-percent increase, compared to the same period in 2024.

Guangzhou: New rail link with Zhanjiang boosts GBA connectivity

The Guangzhou-Zhanjiang High-Speed Railway, spanning more than 400 kilometers, went into operation on Dec 22. Linking seven major cities in Guangdong province, the railway dramatically cuts travel time between Guangzhou's Baiyun Station and the western Guangdong city of Zhanjiang from more than three hours to one hour and 30 minutes.

The railway is designed for a maximum operating speed of 350 km an hour, with up to 64 pairs of high-speed trains running daily in the inaugural phase of its operation. After future plans to connect Foshan Station and Guangzhou Station are realized, the railway will also cut travel times between the city cluster of Beibu Gulf and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Shenzhen: Job fair draws 150,000 graduates, students

More than 150,000 students and graduates from about 1,700 universities and colleges tried their luck at a mega job fair held at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center on Dec 27 and 28.

As part of the Guangdong provincial government's employment support campaign, the flagship event brought together 1,825 companies. The enterprises offered more than 65,000 vacancies in various fields, such as high-end research and development, mechanical engineering, finance and marketing.

To help graduates better navigate the job market and pursue their careers, Guangdong organized more than 5,000 hiring events involving diverse industries in 2025.

Zhuhai: Wind turbine jacket sent to North Sea project

A jacket foundation — an essential structure weighing more than 10,000 metric tons for the Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm — was dispatched from Zhuhai on Dec 23, marking the largest single-unit offshore wind turbine jacket ever manufactured in China for European markets.

Located in the North Sea, off the coast of Scotland, the Inch Cape project is co-developed by Red Rock Renewables — a wholly-owned subsidiary of SDIC Power Holdings Co — and Electricity Supply Board, an Irish utility company. On completion, the wind farm will be capable of supplying electricity to more than half of Scotland's households.

Foshan: Joint methanol production project with HK's Towngas

Foran Energy Group Co and The Hong Kong and China Gas Co (Towngas) have launched a jointly-developed green methanol production project at an industrial park in Foshan's Sanshui district.

Designed with an annual production capacity of 200,000 metric tons, the project marks a milestone for the local energy sector and is set to become a new driver in Foshan's efforts to achieve its carbon peak and neutrality goals.

Foran Energy and Towngas established a joint venture, VENEX Holding Co, in July to expand green methanol production capacity and accelerate energy transformation. VENEX is cooperating with Towngas on a green methanol plant in Ordos city in Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Huizhou: City's first all-cargo flight takes to the sky

Huizhou Airport launched its first all-cargo flight route on Dec 26, marking the first cargo flight undertaken by the domestically produced C909 in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Connecting Huizhou in Guangdong province and Jiaxing in Zhejiang province, the route will enhance air logistics for the region's high-value industries, such as electronics and advanced manufacturing, and strengthen connectivity between the Greater Bay Area and the Yangtze River Delta.

Dongguan: National-level AI pilot experiment base opens

A national-level artificial intelligence pilot-experiment base, focusing on customers in mobile device scenarios, was set up in Dongguan on Dec 26.

As the first national-level pilot-experiment platform focusing on mobile devices, the base concentrates on "AI + terminal products" and "AI + production processes" to address common industry problems, such as difficulties in adapting large language models, low research efficiency, the production and supply of terminal products, and rising production costs.

The facility will also install infrastructure such as computing power, algorithms, data and tool chains to support the industry's development.

Zhongshan: Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link artificial island opens

The West Artificial Island of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link in Guangdong province opened for tourism activities on Dec 29 after a two-month trial, offering enhanced experiences and facilities.

Spanning 137,000 square meters, the island serves as a bridge-tunnel hub featuring panoramic views of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link, with immersive exhibits on engineering feats. New additions include virtual reality experiences and other cultural?tourism offerings, with low?altitude tours planned to further enhance the visitor experience.

The daily reservation capacity is 900, with shuttle services operating six scheduled runs each day and additional on?demand departures during peak periods.

Jiangmen: Kaiping enters new green transportation era

Jiangmen's Kaiping, a county-level city, has entered a new era of green transportation with the launch of its first hydrogen-powered bus on Dec 28.

Fueled by hydrogen cells, the vehicle can achieve "zero pollution" as it releases only water as a byproduct. If operated 30,000 kilometers annually, the bus can cut carbon dioxide emissions by about 150 tons per year, significantly helping to improve air quality and advancing the city's green development goals.

With a passenger capacity of 65, the eco-friendly bus will run six times daily along the route connecting Kaiping Central Hospital and the Chikan Guangdong Overseas Chinese International Tourism Resort.

Zhaoqing: E-commerce giant spreads its wings in Greater Bay Area

With a 3.5-billion yuan ($500-million) investment, global online fashion and lifestyle retailer SHEIN's new smart industrial park in Zhaoqing is in operation, marking an essential step in the e-commerce giant's expansion in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

A benchmark project in Zhao-qing New District, the park covers an area of 680 mu and will be equipped with 14 double-story logistics warehouses and comprehensive supporting facilities.

After reaching full production capacity, the facility is expected to achieve a service trade export volume of 3.5 billion yuan annually and create up to 30,000 jobs.