The construction of the Sha Tau Kok Shenzhen Hong Kong International Consumer Cooperation Zone (hereinafter referred to as the "Cooperation Zone") is making substantial progress again. On the afternoon of May 24th, the first meeting of the Sha Tau Kok Cooperation Zone Working Group was held on Zhongying Street in Yantian District, Shenzhen. Both Shenzhen and Hong Kong jointly discussed the development plan and new cultural and tourism paths of the Sha Tau Kok Cooperation Zone, further enhancing the overall competitiveness of the region. The Sha Tau Kok Cooperation Zone is an important pole in building a strategic cooperation platform system for comprehensive docking between Shenzhen and Hong Kong in the west, middle, and east. It is also an important issue proposed in the Action Plan for the Northern Metropolitan Area of Hong Kong. In order to promote the construction of the cooperation zone, the Hong Kong Bureau of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Shenzhen Development and Reform Commission, and the Yantian District Government have led the formation of a working group for the cooperation zone. They have closely exchanged ideas on promoting the cultural and tourism planning of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone's Sha Tau Kok Border Special Management Zone and the Hong Kong Special Economic Zone's Sha Tau Kok Border Prohibition Zone, jointly deepening the cultural and tourism elements of Sha Tau Kok and enhancing its attractiveness. At this group meeting, Yantian District reported in detail on the progress of the construction of the cooperation zone and introduced the "Shatoujiao Cooperation Zone Working Group Plan". The Hong Kong Cultural, Sports and Tourism Bureau and the Hong Kong Security Bureau respectively reported on the latest developments in cultural and tourism development policies, future cultural and tourism planning, and the second phase of the Sha Tau Kok Open Plan in Hong Kong. It is reported that currently, the pilot zone for the cooperation zone covers 0.18 square kilometers of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Shatoujiao Border Special Management Zone and 0.33 square kilometers of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Shatoujiao Border Prohibited Zone, totaling about 0.51 square kilometers. After unremitting efforts from both sides, significant achievements have been made in the construction of the cooperation zone. The Qiaotou Street and Yugu Lane blocks will make a brand new debut in early 2024. The main street of Zhongying Street, Haibang Street, Huancheng Road and other blocks are planned to open and operate by the end of 2024. Hong Kong's upstairs specialty stores, Hong Kong Maishiji and other local time-honored brands, as well as well-known domestic and foreign specialty retail and fashion brands, will open, attracting a large number of visitors on the street. Today's meeting was a great start, as we had in-depth discussions on the current status and challenges faced in the construction of the cooperation zone, as well as detailed discussions on each other's future plans. Through this exchange, we not only have a clearer understanding of the current situation of the cooperation zone, but also have confidence in its future development The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Yang Runxiong, stated that Sha Tau Kok, as an important node connecting Shenzhen and Hong Kong, not only has a convenient transportation network, but also carries rich natural and cultural resources. He believes that both sides should fully utilize this unique geographical advantage, actively explore new paths for the development of ecotourism, and inject new vitality into the cooperation zone. "We can utilize the island resources around Sha Tau Kok to jointly explore the international and domestic tourism markets, and push Sha Tau Kok's tourism industry to new heights. This is a win-win situation for Hong Kong and Shenzhen." Yantian District Mayor Deng Feibo looks forward to joint efforts from both sides to further enrich the tourism products and services of Shatoujiao Cooperation Zone by strengthening cooperation in tourism and commerce, ecological health tourism, cultural and tourism activities, sports events, tourism promotion, and other aspects, and to push the tourism industry of Shatoujiao to new heights. Shenzhen took a crucial step towards "moving eastward". In August last year, the State Council issued the "Development Plan for the Shenzhen Park of the Hetao Shenzhen Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone". This 3.89 square kilometer land will focus on science and technology innovation cooperation and create a cutting-edge open cooperation zone. From Qianhai to Hetao, from modern service industry to technological innovation, the two national strategic platforms have been gradually expanded from west to east, promoting the practical and in-depth development of Shenzhen Hong Kong cooperation. If the pattern is opened up, in the eastern part of Shenzhen, a heavyweight platform is needed to accumulate new momentum and create new space for Shenzhen Hong Kong cooperation. Sha Tau Kok, which is connected to Hong Kong by land and water, is the most preferred location. A thousand Jun will strike a feather, balancing the light and weight. In recent years, Shenzhen has vigorously promoted the strategy of "advancing eastward, cooperating westward, connecting southward, expanding northward, and optimizing in the middle", promoting regional coordinated development. Shatoujiao is undoubtedly a crucial step in Shenzhen's "eastward" strategy. Against the backdrop of major platform projects such as Qianhai expansion, Hetao upgrading, and Guangming Science City landing in the central and western regions of Shenzhen, the vast eastern part of Shenzhen also urgently needs a "breakthrough point" to inject a booster into regional coordinated development. And Shatoujiao is the key focus area that should not be overlooked. In addition to the layout of key regions and projects, the eastern part of Shenzhen also needs a stronger economic engine. Looking across Shenzhen, most of the current mainstream commercial districts are located in areas such as Luohu, Futian, and Nanshan. Vigorously developing cooperation zones undoubtedly fills an important puzzle in the city's consumption map. Yantian has launched a new engine for development. During this year's May Day holiday, the popularity of Zhongying Street in Yantian has skyrocketed. On May 3rd, the number of tourists entering the town for the first time exceeded 30000, and the total number of inspections exceeded 70000 for the first time, an increase of over 5.4 times compared to last year. The Shatoujiao area, with Zhongying Street as its core, has witnessed history and has long become one of the landmarks of Yantian. Nowadays, in response to the new requirements of high-quality development in urban areas, the ancient Shatoujiao area is wiping away the dust of history and shouldering a more important mission - the new "engine" of Yantian. As early as 2022, the Implementation Plan for Accelerating the Construction of the Shatoujiao Shenzhen Hong Kong International Consumer Cooperation Zone (2022-2025) (hereinafter referred to as the Implementation Plan) was officially issued, providing detailed operational guidelines for the construction of the cooperation zone. Economically, the cooperation zone will add momentum to the salt fields: today's salt fields are fully committed to promoting tourism, consumption, and logistics, contributing salt field momentum to the high-quality development of Shenzhen. According to the Implementation Plan, Yantian will strive to release more than 5 million square meters of industrial space towards Shenzhen and Hong Kong by 2025, add more than 10 million annual tourists, and form a tourism consumption industry cluster worth billions. This will undoubtedly provide new growth points for the high-quality development of the salt field economy. In terms of cultural and tourism, the cooperation zone will further increase the popularity of Yantian: the renovated Zhongying Street will retain the existing "shopping within the area, customs supervision, and self pickup customs clearance" model, and strive to implement the "shopping within the area, pre supervision, and batch inspection and release" model. The operation mode will be comprehensively upgraded, and the unified planning and layout of the "one-stop" consumption experience industry of food, accommodation, tourism, shopping, and entertainment will be unified, achieving a transformation from offline oriented to "online+offline"; The rebuilt Shatoujiao Port will become an efficient and fast new smart port, a modern, fashionable, high-end and atmospheric cross-border tourism service center, an international duty-free consumption center, and a comprehensive transportation hub with convenient transportation. In terms of integration between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, the cooperation zone will provide opportunities for Yantian. In terms of hard connectivity, we will seize the opportunity of opening the Sha Tau Kok Ferry Terminal in Hong Kong, explore the opening of the Yantian Hong Kong Macao sea route, and promote the improvement of road traffic from Hong Kong to Sha Tau Kok Port; In terms of soft connectivity, Yantian will establish a cross-border public security linkage mechanism. Explore and deepen cooperation in police affairs between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, improve the mechanism for releasing public health information, and explore the implementation of citizen treatment. The preferred destination for international cross-border tourism, the characteristic leading area of an international consumer center city, and the new model of Shenzhen Hong Kong co construction, co governance, and integrated development... These are the beautiful expectations of the Shatoujiao Cooperation Zone for the future. It is worth looking forward to, as the construction of the cooperation zone gradually improves, the construction of the "core area+cooperation zone" will set sail, and the high-quality development of Yantian will add endogenous impetus. (Lai Xin She)