The idea of building “Integrated Communities” that converges with Macao’s life in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin
Recently, with the approval of The State Council, the National Development and Reform Commission issued an overall development plan for the Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin (Hengqin Plan), proposing that about 80,000 Macao residents will work in the zone and 120,000 Macao residents will live there by 2035. In the advice of the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce on the measures to relax market access, it is also proposed to innovate and implement the mode of “living in Macao, working in Cooperation Zone in Hengqin” to introduce outstanding innovative talents of science and technology.
In the future, many Macao residents will face the problem of separation of employment and residence between Macao and Hengqin. Under this situation, more Macao residents may choose to move to and live in Hengqin. At the same time, the detailed rules of the Hengqin Plan require the construction of more living neighborhoods cooperating with Macao, constructing integrated communities and creating a 15-minute community life circle . The construction of integrated communities with a 15-minute community life circle in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin will be one of the key tasks of the people’s livelihood project construction at present and in the future, which is both an opportunity and a challenge.
To build “Integrated Communities” that converge to Macao’s life in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin
Integrated Community is the concept of community space proposed by Wu Liangyong in 2010. The Integrated Community follows the people-oriented concept and has a very rich connotation. It is not just about providing housing, but also about considering all aspects of the facilities related to people’s livelihood. For example, community services, public security, pension, health, commercial support, education, transportation, and other elements. It advocates for residents and social forces to bring the activity of the subjective consciousness into full play and participate in community construction and governance.
In 2020, Thirteen departments, including the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China, have defined a series of standards for the Construction of Integrated Communities (Trial) (Standard), such as taking the population scale of 5,000-12,000 as the basic unit, and residents walk five to ten minutes to reach the basic public service facilities of communities, and many integrated communities constitute blocks, connecting with the 15-minute community life circle. In October 2022, the General Office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the General Office of the Ministry of Civil Affairs jointly issued the notice to carry out a two-year pilot project to build “integrated communities” . The pilot project includes improving community service facilities, creating a livable living environment, promoting intelligent services, and improving the community governance mechanism.
Macao New Neighborhood (MNN) Project in Hengqin: a demonstration base for the construction of “Integrated Communities” with Macao life
The construction of Macao New Neighborhood (MNN), the first comprehensive livelihood project under the new mechanism of extensive consultation, joint contribution, joint management, and shared benefits between Guangdong and Macao, has initially provided a model for building integrated communities that meshes with Macao’s living habits. Currently, the project is in the stage of subscription and selection, and the MNN is full of Macao elements. The detailed rules of the Hengqin Plan also specify the pilot project of integrated social governance and development in Macao New Neighborhood , and eligible Macao residents can participate in the election of village (resident) committees in accordance with the law. There will be an establishment of a linkage mechanism for public security governance, and strengthen cooperation in the investigation and early warning of conflicts and disputes and in the emergency handling of cases.
Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin is a major cooperation platform for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and a space for the construction of the MNN Project. MNN has connected various social relations in the “Hengqin-Macao integration” in the new practice period of “One Country, Two Systems”. MNN is also the spatial medium for the reconstruction of these social relations and elements.
According to the content and requirements of integrated residential community construction proposed in Standard, MNN has reached the standard at a high level. But there are still some standards that have not been reflected in the public information, such as the childcare service facilities and some convenient commercial service facilities in the integrated communities construction. All sectors of society are concerned and looking forward to the new progress of improving the community management mechanism in the daily operation of Macao New Neighborhood in 2024.
Some suggestions on building “Integrated Communities” that converges to Macao life in the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin
Since the establishment of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, a series of policies have provided strong support for Macao residents to start businesses and find jobs in Hengqin. According to the statistics of the Cooperation Zone, the number of Macao residents registered for employment increased rapidly by 3,570 between July and October 2023.
Since more integrated communities will be built to meet people’s needs for a better life in the future, in the next ten years, the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin will be a good opportunity to “create a better environment and a happy life”, with unlimited possibilities and innovation opportunities. We put forward three ideas and suggestions.
First, it may be suitable to summarize experience in the construction of MNN, combined with the national official guidelines for the construction of integrated communities. Macao may formulate the guidelines for the construction of integrated communities according to the local life and cultural characteristics of Macao, which mesh with the development orientation of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. In the process of formulation, it is also necessary to pay attention to the spatial and cultural characteristics of the Cooperation Zone, pay attention to the interaction and symbiosis between the community and Hengqin natural village and other multi-level guaranteed housing within the 15-minute living circle, fully consider the needs and ideas of community residents, formulate corresponding indicators to conduct regular evaluation of community development.
Second, cultivate local community planners in Macao, build a team of community planners, and participate in the construction and governance of integrated communities in the Cooperation Zone. Community planner is an emerging profession integrating community planning, governance and management. It requires individuals or teams with multi-disciplinary professional backgrounds such as planning and design, public administration, sociology and geography to take root in the front line of communities for a long time to follow up community development. The work content is not only community space planning and implementation of corresponding projects, but also listening to the voice of the residents, and guiding the democracy in the community, and encouraging residents to participate in community co-construction to achieve the residents’ community co-governance.
The establishment and improvement of the exclusive community planner system in the Cooperation Zone is conducive to the process of building integrated communities for Macao’s enterprises and its residents. Macao local community planners are familiar with the situation of Macao’s living neighborhoods and communities and cooperate with Hengqin community planners. It fully reflects the new mechanism of extensive consultation, joint contribution, joint management, and shared benefits between Guangdong and Macao at the grassroots governance level. They jointly participate in the construction and governance of integrated communities in the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. Working in the Cooperation Zone in Hengqin may have a broader career development prospect and the development of personal talent.
Third, strengthen the construction of a smart community service platform in cooperation with colleges and universities in Macao, and contribute to the construction and governance of integrated communities in the Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. For example, the State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City of the University of Macau has solid and high-quality scientific research achievements of smart city. The laboratory can connect the scientific research resources of local universities in Macao to carry out industry-academia cooperation and research transformation and project development, and apply scientific research achievements to the current and future construction of a smart service platform that is similar to Macao’s integrated communities.
Centre for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Studies
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Macau