Industrial Spatial Synergy Development in Hengqin and Macao

Abstract

This chapter describes the close connection between the industrial changes and urban development in Macao and Hengqin. The current land use and industrial distribution status in both places are analysed. The development direction, central trend and density of residential and various industries are analysed in GIS. The industrial structures of both Macao and Hengqin serve urban functions. The industrial density in Macao is higher than that in Hengqin, and the balance of employment and residence in the spatial dimension between the two places is insufficient. In the future, Hengqin will improve the city’s supporting infrastructure and strengthen the effectiveness of synergistic industrial development.

4.1 Land Use Types in Macao and Hengqin

In 2009, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council decided to develop Hengqin to create an essential platform for promoting the moderate and diversified development of Macao’s economy, taking advantage of Hengqin being separated from Macao by a bridge and water. It is a new platform to promote the moderate and diversified economic development of Macao, a new space to improve life, a recent demonstration to enrich the practice of ‘One Country, Two Systems’ and a new highland to promote the construction of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao GBA (Zheng, 2009). The master plan places a prominent position on the ‘development of new industries that promote the moderate diversification of Macao’s economy’ and specifies the development of four major categories of ‘new industries’: technological research and development and high-end manufacturing industries, Chinese medicine industry, cultural tourism, exhibition and trade industries, and modern financial industry (Central Committee of the Communist Party of China State Council, 2021). Macao lacks land resources, and its production costs are higher than the mainland. At the same time, the Hengqin Guangdong–Macao Deep Cooperation Zone has enough space to transform scientific and technological achievements into practice.

The land use and land area ratio of Macao and Hengqin is analysed (Figs. 4.1 and 4.2). The proportion of the area of each type of land in Macao is more balanced compared with Hengqin.

Fig. 4.1

Land use map of Macao and Hengqin

Fig. 4.2

Land proportions in Macao and Hengqin

Amongst the various types of land use in Macao, the residential area accounts for 23% of the total area, and the industrial area accounts for 2% of the entire area. Ecological protection zones and public infrastructure zones account for approximately 20%, of which ecological protection zones and the open spaces account for approximately 30%, indicating that the Macao government highlights ‘ecological priority’ in the urbanisation process and long-term planning for the sustainable and healthy development of the city. The tourism and recreation area accounts for 13% of the total area, which is an attractive place to provide rest and recreation for tourists in Macao, where land resources are tight, and is in line with the city’s positioning as a world-class tourism and recreation centre.

According to the ‘Hengqin Master Development Plan’, Hengqin has designated four spatial control zones in the development and construction: No Build Zone, Limited Build Zone, Suitable Build Zone and Built Zone, of which the No Build Zone is 57.90 km², more than half of the area of Hengqin, strictly protecting the original ecological environment of Hengqin. The minor proportion is the public infrastructure zone, which needs to be increased in future planning and construction.

4.2 Macao and Hengqin Industry and POI Distribution

Living service facilities are the central part of urban public service facilities, and the supporting facilities of urban residential areas also affect the quality of life of urban residents. Moreover, the layout of living service facilities affects urban traffic, resource allocation and residents’ quality of life. With the application of big data in spatial analysis, new technical means provide new methods for spatial analysis. Amongst them, point-of-interest (POI) data are a type of point data that can represent real geographic entities and generally contains basic information, such as name, category, latitude and longitude and address of point elements.

The POI data used in this section are obtained via the Internet open platform, which was acquired in 2018. The focus is on the urban residential and non-residential spaces in Macao and Hengqin. Thus, POI data from nine areas, including residences, schools, hospitals, government agencies, supermarkets, food markets, banks, offices and scenic spots (parks), are analysed and discussed. Using GIS spatial analysis methods, such as spatial autocorrelation analysis, standard deviational ellipse, central element analysis and kernel density analysis, spatial pattern distribution and convenience of residential and non-residential points in Macao Peninsula, Cotai and Hengqin, are analysed to provide a scientific basis for the future spatial layout development of residential and non-residential development in the two areas.

4.3 Analyses of the Industrial Structures of Macao and Hengqin

Macao’s industrial structure and urban transformation are closely linked, and they interact with each other to promote the city’s development. The major industries in Macao are tourism and gambling, banking and finance, real estate and construction and cultural exhibition. Macao is supported by building ‘one centre, one platform and one base’, namely a world tourism and leisure centre, a service platform for trade and commerce cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries and a base for exchange and collaboration with Chinese culture as the mainstream and multiple cultures coexisting.

The planning of Hengqin’s industrial structure has been an essential issue of economic cooperation between Guangdong and Macao since the 1880s. In 1992, the Guangdong Provincial Government identified Hengqin Island as a key development area. In 2021, the Master Plan of Hengqin Guangdong–Macao Deep Cooperation Zone had planned four major industries: science and technology and manufacturing industry, Chinese medicine industry, tourism and exhibition industry and modern financial industry.

The spatial distribution of the four pillar industries in Macao and Hengqin is analysed in GIS. The results are shown in Fig. 4.3. Most of the pillar industries in Macao are distributed in the Macao Peninsula, amongst which the construction and real estate industries are the most widely distributed and the most numerous, followed by the tourism and gaming industries, which are more evenly distributed. Hengqin’s pillar industries are mainly modern financial and cultural tourism, exhibition and commerce, concentrated in the northeast of the ‘financial island’ and Hengqin port. The science and technology industrial park and the Chinese medicine industry are primarily under planning and construction. The number of the four pillar industries in Macao and Hengqin and the ratio of the four pillar industries to other industries are shown in Table 4.1. When comparing the two regions, the number of sectors in Macao is more significant than that in Hengqin, whilst Hengqin still has a shortcoming in terms of quantity. In the future, on the basis of the existing advantages, the two places will cooperate strongly to promote Macao’s profitable industries to facilitate Hengqin’s high-quality development.

Fig. 4.3

Distribution of pillar industries in Macao and Hengqin

Table 4.1 Structure of the four pillar industries in Macao and Hengqin

4.4 Diversity Analysis of the Urban Block Spatial Function

Streets play a crucial role in urban life as the primary carrier of transportation and a virtual urban open space. It is not only the main transportation carrier but also a virtual urban open space, which is the basic unit for residents to know the city and urban life (Wang, 2002). The concept of mixed urban land use originates from the mixed primary use proposed by Jacobs (1992), which is widely used but still has ambiguity in its connotation. The American Planning Association believes that diverse functions are appropriate for walking and creating high-density, diverse spaces compatible with different functions. Real estate industry organisations in the U.S. also generally believe that mixed-function is an integrated development that includes residential, retail, office and entertainment functions and seeks to maximise the use of space, and it also includes a combination of different functional types of adjacent parcels in a particular area.

The diversity of spatial functions is generally measured by the formula of information entropy. The mixed degree of function of the research neighbourhood is a diverse method of meeting the different needs of the population, and the people can interact, communicate and implement a variety of multiform activities in such spaces. Combined with the existing results measurement method, according to the research object space reasonable adaptation (Long & Zhou, 2016), the formula for measuring the degree of functional mixture of neighbourhood space is set as follows:

$$ I = \sum_{i = 1}^n {\left( {p_i *\ln \left( {p_i } \right)} \right)} , $$

(4.1)

where I represents the calculation target of block function mixing degree; i represents the number of interest points in the block i unit; and P_i represents the ratio of interest points in the block I unit to the total number of interest points in the range. Entropy is used to characterise the degree of functional mixing at the street scale.

The MOLAIN index (Moran’s I) is a commonly used measure of the spatial clustering of mixed functions in a block (Du, 2014). The formula is set as follows:

$$ MI = \frac{{n\sum {\sum {w_{ij} \left( {x_i - \overline{x}} \right)\left( {x_j - \overline{x}} \right)} } }}{{\sum {\sum {w_{ij} \left( {x_i - \overline{x}} \right)^2 } } }}, $$

(4.2)

where X_i represents the attribute value of region i; n represents the total number of regions; and W represents the adjacent space weight matrix in the binary system, and the rule is expressed as

$$ w_{ij} = \left\{ {\begin{array}{*{20}l} 1 \hfill \\ 0 \hfill \\ \end{array} } \right. $$

where 1 represents regions i and j contiguous; 0 represents regions i and j not contiguous. It is generally assumed that the MOLAIN index statistic follows a normal distribution with an expected value. When the calculated value of the MOLAIN index is less than, it is assumed that there is a negative spatial correlation, and vice versa, it is assumed that there is a clustering pattern.

As shown in Figs. 4.4, 4.5 and 4.6, there is a positive spatial correlation between Macao and Hengqin, and the functional mix and the spatial autocorrelation in Macao neighbourhoods are higher than in Hengqin communities. The neighbourhood mix is generally higher in Toi San, Areia Preta, Iao Hon, and Praia Grande e Penha have higher mixed degree, which can help to meet the daily needs of residents well. The mixed degree of the NAPE e Aterros da Baía da Praia Grande is lower, not conducive to crowd communication or activities. The mixed degree of Hengqin district is clearly distributed in a ring shape.

Fig. 4.4

Mixing degree of Macao blocks

Fig. 4.5

Mixing degree of Hengqin blocks

Fig. 4.6

Moran I indices of Macao (0.35) and Hengqin (0.29)

4.5 Analysis of the Directional Distribution and Central Trend of Residential and Non-Residential Points

Standard deviation ellipse analysis is a spatial statistical method for analysing the point data. It is used to measure the direction and distribution range of a set of data. The long half-axis of the ellipse represents the direction of the data distribution and the short half-axis represents the range of the data distribution. The larger the difference between the long and short semi-axes, the larger the flatness and the more obvious the directionality of the data (Zhang et al., 2018). In this study, a doubled standard deviational ellipse was used as follows:

$$ \begin{gathered} \tan \theta\hfill \\ \quad = \frac{\begin{gathered} \sum\nolimits_{i = 1}^n {\left( {x_i - \bar{x}} \right)^2 } - \sum\nolimits_{i = 1}^n {\left( {y_i - \bar{y}} \right)^2 } \hfill \\ \quad + \sqrt {\left[ {\sum\nolimits_{i = 1}^n {\left( {x_i - \bar{x}} \right)^2 } - \sum\nolimits_{i = 1}^n {\left( {y_i - \bar{y}} \right)^2 } } \right]^2 + 4\left[ {\sum\nolimits_{i = 1}^n {\left( {x_i - \bar{x}} \right)^2 } - \sum\nolimits_{i = 1}^n {\left( {y_i - \bar{y}} \right)^2 } } \right]^2 } \hfill \\ \end{gathered} }{{2\sum\nolimits_{i = 1}^n {\left( {x_i - \bar{x}} \right)} \sum\nolimits_{i = 1}^n {\left( {y_i - \bar{y}} \right)} }}, \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$

(4.3)

$$ \sigma_x = \frac{{\sqrt {\left[ {\sum_{i = 1}^n {\left( {x_i - \overline{x}} \right)\cos \theta - \left( {y_i - \overline{y}} \right)\sin \theta } } \right]^2 } }}{n}, $$

(4.4)

$$ \sigma_y = \frac{{\sqrt {\left[ {\sum_{i = 1}^n {\left( {x_i - \overline{x}} \right)\sin \theta + \left( {y_i - \overline{y}} \right)\cos \theta } } \right]^2 } }}{n}, $$

(4.5)

where X_i and Y_i represent the cognitive coordinates of the i location, and n is the number of locations; $\overline{x}$ and $\overline{y}$ denote the average of the x-coordinate and y-coordinate values of all points; and $\theta$ denotes the rotation direction angle.

The POI data used in this study were obtained from online open Maps. The data were de-duplicated, merged and reclassified. Finally, 6660 valid data were retained. The data were initially divided into the residential and non-residential categories. Then the non-residential points were classified into nine categories: residences, schools, hospitals, government agencies, supermarkets, food markets, banks, office buildings and scenic spots (parks) (Table 4.2).

Table 4.2 Classification and number of POIs in Macao and Hengqin

4.5.1 Residential Standard Deviational Ellipse with Central Element Analysis

The standard deviational ellipse analysis was conducted for the residential points in Macao Peninsula, Cotai and Hengqin (Fig. 4.7). The central element of the residential space of Macao Peninsula was located in Estrada de Coelho do Amaral. The central elements of the residential space of Cotai were located in Avenida de Guimarães with an ellipse area of 7,442,000 m². The central elements of the residential space of Hengqin were located in Avenida de Hong Kong and Macao with an ellipse area of 39,718,000 m². Figure 4.8 shows the spatial distribution analysis after taking consideration of the urban integration in the Macao Peninsula and Hengqin. The standard deviational ellipse of residential space is not significantly offset from the Macao Peninsula. After integrating Cotai and Hengqin residential points, the results are shown in Fig. 4.9. The offset is more significant, with a distance of 470 m covering the area near the Hengqin port.

Fig. 4.7

Standard deviational ellipses of residential points in Macao Peninsula, Cotai and Hengqin

Fig. 4.8

Standard deviational ellipses of integration residential points in Macao Peninsula and Hengqin

Fig. 4.9

Standard deviational ellipses of integration residential points in Cotai and Hengqin

After the urban integration of residential points in Macao and Hengqin, the shift of residential concentration in space is not obvious. This finding could be explained by the current situation that Macao has high population density, dense residential space and scarce land resources. Meanwhile, Hengqin has low population density, scattered residential space and abundant land resources. In the future, it is recommended to create a more convenient living environment for their daily life, promote the planning of urban public facilities, improve the sustainable development momentum of the city and attract more local Macao residents to live in Hengqin.

4.5.2 Non-Residential Standard Deviational Ellipses with Central Element Analysis

The results of the standard deviational ellipse analysis for the non-residential points of Macao Peninsula, Cotai and Hengqin are shown in Fig. 4.10. The central element of the non-residential space of the Macao Peninsula was located at Estrada do Repouso, with an elliptical area of 3936,000 m². The central element of the residential space of Cotai was located at Estrada da Baía de Nossa Senhora da Esperança with an oval area of 11,140,000 m². The central element of the residential space of Hengqin was located at Hengqin Avenue, with an elliptical region of 33,884,000 m². After the non-residential points of Macao Peninsula and Hengqin are integrated, the results are shown in Fig. 4.11. The standard deviational ellipse of non-residential space was not significantly shifted to the southwest with a distance of 300 m. The standard deviational ellipse covers the ‘financial island’ area north-east of Hengqin. The results after urban integration of non-residential points in Cotai and Hengqin are shown in Fig. 4.12. The spatial discrepancy is 1570 m, and the standard deviational ellipse covers the dense residential area in the central part of Hengqin.

Fig. 4.10

Standard deviational ellipses of non-residential points in Macao Peninsula, Cotai and Hengqin

Fig. 4.11

Standard deviational ellipses of non-residential points in Macao Peninsula and Hengqin

Fig. 4.12

Standard deviational ellipses of non-residential points in Cotai and Hengqin

After integrating non-residential points in Macao and Hengqin, the industrial concentration point shifts in space. To a certain extent, it indicates that the change in industrial layout can drive the development of industries in Hengqin and Macao. The industrial structure and POI of both Macao and Hengqin serve the urban functions. The density of POI in Macao is higher than that in Hengqin, and the spatial dimension of the two places is insufficient to balance the jobs and housing. It is suggested that Hengqin needs to improve supporting infrastructures and transportation services to consolidate the existing advantageous resources, develop high-tech industries and enhance the core competitiveness of the region.

4.6 Density Analysis of Residential and Non-Residential Points

The distribution pattern and density of POI points in urban space are essential in infrastructure planning and urban spatial analysis. The kernel density estimation method to express this feature is based on the two-dimensional extended Euclidean spatial theoretical system and considers the locational influence of the First Law of Geography. It assigns different weights to the points in the region, and the points close to the centre are given larger weights and vice versa as following:

$$ \int {h\left( x \right)} = \frac{1}{nh^d }\sum_{i = }^n {K\left( {\frac{x - x_i }{h}} \right)} , $$

(4.6)

where $k\left( {\frac{x - x_i }{h}} \right)$ is a kernel function, with a symmetric single-peak probability density function; h is a free parameter that defines the magnitude of the smoothing, d is the dimension of the data; and n is the number of points in the bandwidth range. To understand the geographical concentration of residential space and non-residential space in Macao and Hengqin more directly, a series of visual comparisons between residential space and non-residential space are visualised in Figs. 4.13, 4.14 and 4.15.

Fig. 4.13

Analysis of the kernel densities of residential areas, schools and hospitals in Macao

Fig. 4.14

Analysis of the kernel densities of government agencies, banks and office buildings in Macao

Fig. 4.15

Analysis of the kernel densities of scenic spots (parks), supermarkets and vegetable market in Macao

.

In general, there are polycentric distribution characteristics of residential points in Macao and Hengqin. Macao Peninsula is more clustered and widely distributed, whilst Cotai is mainly clustered in Taipa Old Town. Hengqin is mainly clustered in the area near Hengqin Port and the north-east. Compared with Hengqin, the overall non-residential spatial distribution in Macao is more affluent, with a more extensive spatial distribution, a higher degree of aggregation and more extensive population coverage. In particular, the high-density concentration areas in the Macao Peninsula have high population densities and public services, such as hospitals, schools, supermarkets, etc., The high-density concentration area of Hengqin is mainly located in Hengqin Port, the northeastern ‘financial island’ and Zhuhai Changlong, where banks, schools, office buildings, scenic spots (parks) and other facilities are clustered. It is consistent with the functional layout of ‘three areas and ten districts’ in the Hengqin Master Development Plan.

With the continuous construction and development of the Hengqin New Area, Macao is suggested to fully utilise the advantages and strengthen the complementary development of industries in both places, thus upgrading and optimising the regional industrial structure. The advantages of Macao’s world-class leisure and tourism and its economic and trade platform can be used to attract enterprises and talents to Macao whilst focusing on the cultivation of talents and strengthening the industrial integration between the two places. Given there are differences in the industrial structure and resource endowment between Macao and Hengqin, reasonable planning is needed for the effective allocation of resources to prioritise the development of major industries.