Urban and Regional Cooperation and Development: Challenges and Strategies for the Planning and Development of the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperatio

This is an open access book. This book, first of all, introduces the new unveiled Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone with details as a special mode of the regional collaborative development that is committed to be mutually beneficial to both sides with different political and economic systems. China's central authorities have recently issued a masterplan for constructing the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone at Hengqin Island in September 2021. As China's first and last European colony and one of China’s two special administrative regions (SARs), Macao has developed the gambling industry seven times larger than that of Las Vegas. However, the problem of the homogeneous industrial structure and the urgent need to promote sustainable economic growth by regional cooperation have been important theoretical and practical issues discussed by scholars and policy-makers. The Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone (ICZ) is managed under special customs supervision between two boarder lines and expected to diversify Macao’s economy. Then, this book dissects the theory of regional synergistic development and its applications in a number of international comparative and cross-interdisciplinary case studies worldwide. Finally, from the perspective of land use, transportation connection, and social service, this book thoroughly explores the challenges and strategies to implement the new cooperation model within the framework of one country, two systems, two customs, and two currencies to achieve a win–win situation using updated first-hand data collected by literature review, case study, field survey, spatial analysis, and interview.  

Long Zhou, Ph.D. in Planning, Design and Construction Science, is an associate professor in the Faculty of Innovation and Design, City University of Macau. Dr. Zhou’s research interests and creative activities focus on regional and urban development and planning. Dr. Zhou is the principle investigator for serval research projects funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China, Macau Foundation and Macau Higher Education Foundation. 

Bin Li is an assistant professor in urban planning in City University of Macau. He has got his PhD in University of Birmingham, U.K in 2017. His working experience includes the teaching fellow in Sun Yat-sen University and the post-doc in Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School. His research interests comprise urban regeneration, urban governance and comparative urban studies.   

Sihong Li, doctoral candidate in Urban Planning and Design at the City University of Macau. Li’s main research interests are resilient cities and sustainable urban development.  Li is the core research member of a series of research projects at the City University of Macau.

Ngan Leng Lei is a special researcher in the Research Institute of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Great Bay, City University of Macau. She served as the office advisor for the Third and Forth Chief Executive of Macau and is specialized in social and economic development in both China and abroad. 

Keng Fong, Cheong, is a Ph.D candidate in Urban Planning and Design, City University of Macau. Cheong’s research interests focus on urban resilience and planning. Cheong’s professional background includes planning, design, and engineering experience in flood protection, transportation, hospitality, and education sectors. Cheong is also a LEED accredited professional, and professional engineer in civil engineering.