The Dream Factory of China

　　Qianhai has offered a basket of favorable policies and facilities to attract talents and startups from Hong Kong.

　　Shenzhen's Qianhai special economic zone has vowed to attract more Hong Kong companies and talents by selling them the "best" land available and offering more incentives to startups.

　　About 10 plots of land at Qianhai are expected to be sold this year, with more than five to be provided specifically to Hong Kong enterprises, Zhang Bei, head of Qianhai Authority, said at a roadshow in Hong Kong on Monday.

　　"We'll offer the best land to Hong Kong companies," he said.

　　Last year, 17 plots of land were sold in the zone, with Hong Kong enterprises taking up nine of them.

　　The cooperation zone will also offer more incentives for young Hong Kong entrepreneurs to set up business there.

　　"Startups need funds, tutors and a sound environment to develop. We provide tutors and regular training to help them grow. A 'dream fund' is also set up in which tutors and the zone are expected to invest in the startups with promising prospects," Zhang said.

　　Qianhai is also stepping up efforts to accommodate Hong Kong people in the zone by allowing them to use Octopus cards there. "Products in the zone will be priced in both renminbi and Hong Kong dollars. Hong Kong youths will be able to pay with their Octopus cards," he said.

　　So far, more than 40 startups have settled down in Qianhai, including a third from Hong Kong.

　　To promote understanding of Qianhai and the mainland, the zone will offer 500 internship opportunities to Hong Kong youths this year.

　　To ease the pressure of mainland visitors shopping in Hong Kong and provide greater convenience to residents living near the area, Zhang said a bonded goods display and trade center will be built in Qianhai.

　　"We are negotiating with the customs and Hong Kong enterprises on related issues. As to the tax concession for the products sold in the center, we need to get approval from the relevant departments," he said.

　　Witman Hung Wai-man, chief liaison officer for Qianhai's Hong Kong affairs, said: "As a strategic platform for long-term economic cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, Qianhai is fully prepared with policies and software and hardware conditions. We hope the roadshow can deepen the understanding of Hong Kong businesspeople and professionals in Qianhai's overall development and attract more Hong Kong youths with innovative minds to work in Qianhai to contribute to Hong Kong's development by taking advantage of this new platform."

　　As of last month, more than 23,000 companies had registered in Qianhai, including 53 Fortune Global 500 enterprises. More than 1,170 Hong Kong firms have already started business in Qianhai, with investments accounting for 18 percent of the zone's total.