Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Authorizing the Macao Special Administrative Region to Exercise Jurisdiction over the Macao Side of the Hengqin Port and the Related Extended Areas

Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Authorizing the Macao Special Administrative Region to Exercise Jurisdiction over the Macao Side of the Hengqin Port and the Related Extended Areas (Adopted at the 14th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Thirteenth National People's Congress on October 26, 2019) At its 14th Meeting, the Standing Committee of the Thirteenth National People's Congress deliberated the proposal submitted by the State Council on authorizing the Macao Special Administration Region to exercise jurisdiction over the Macao side of the Hengqin Port and the related extended areas.

It was held at the meeting that for the purpose of realizing the interconnectivity in respect of infrastructure between the Macao Special Administrative Region and the Zhuhai City of Guangdong Province and facilitating transportation, personnel flow, and economic and trade activities, it is necessary to set a port area for the Macao side within the Hengqin Port located on the Hengqin Island of Zhuhai City, Guandong Province. The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress has decided as follows:

1. It authorizes the Macao Special Administrative Region to exercise, in accordance with the laws of the Macao Special Administrative Region, jurisdiction over the Macao side of the Hengqin Port and the related extended areas, beginning from the date the Macao side of the Hengqin Port and the related extended area are put to use, within the term provided in the third article of this Decision.

2. The areas subject to the jurisdiction of the Macao Special Administrative Region as authorized include the Macao side of Hengqin Port, the Lianhua Bridge (piers excluded), the bridge connecting the University of Macao and the Hengqin Port (piers excluded), and the reserved space for the extended line of Macao Light Railway. The reserved space will be used for constructing facilities such as railway tunnel, train station, and passageway connecting the platform and the area under the jurisdiction of the Macao Special Administrative Region. The aforementioned areas shall be put to use at different phases based on their actual conditions. The specific time for starting the use of an area, and its coordinates and area shall be determined by the State Council. The purpose of use concerning the land of the aforementioned areas may not be changed within the term prescribed in the third article of this Decision.

3. The land use right of the Macao side of the Hengqin Port and the related extended areas are rented to the Government of Macao Special Administrative Region. The term of lease will expire on December 19, 2049, counting from the dates the aforementioned areas are put to use. On the expiration of the term of lease, it may be renewed upon a decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.