The development prospects of Hengqin, a 106-square-kilometer coastal island of Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, that became a national new development area in 2009 and a part of the pilot free trade zone of Guangdong in 2015, are attracting people from various walks of life. 

Hengqin pursues innovation-driven growth and is paying great attention to developing knowledge-intensive industries, as well as research and development of high-end and new technologies. 

Those newly-arriving share one thing in common - all believing that Hengqin can provide them with the platform and opportunities to realize their dreams. The Zhuhai Da Hengqin Technology Development Co. has become one of the means by which Hengqin is offering fresh opportunities to such people.

Founded in 2014, and affiliated with the Hengqin government as the only one of its kind, the company operates in information, telecommunications, security and protection, development of smart buildings, etc.

Some of its employees quit their jobs in big companies, both domestic and international, such as IBM, ZTE and China Southern Power Grid, to seek new opportunities in Hengqin. 

Some live apart from their families. However, they think the "sense of gain and achievement" Hengqin can give them is worth their input and sacrifice. 

Yang Zhenyu worked in IBM in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, for 15 years before coming to Hengqin to take up his current post as vice president of Zheng Da Hengqin Technology. 

"The things we do here —promotion of the smart city concept, and the construction of the national new development area and the FTZ — are all meaningful," Yang said.

"Hengqin is a big stage undertaking key missions, assigned by the State, in regard to innovation and Belt and Road construction. I can use my strength in technology and management experience here. I also have a chance to meet some high-end talents bringing with them new ideas and new thinking. Such a good stage is hard to come by in the other places."

Chen Fei had worked in the telecommunications company ZTE, headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, for 12 years before coming to Hengqin. 

"I chose Hengqin because, as a national new development area, many of its policies are extremely open. What the company does, say, cloud computing, big data and smart city, coincides with my interests. I was in charge of information security in ZTE, but the stage here is broader," said Chen, who is drafting the information security planning of Hengqin, and hopes to better its management and technology systems afterwards accordingly.

Yao Xiang, 32, worked for Hewlett Packard in Wuhan, in central China's Hubei Province, before coming to work for the company in July, 2015. Yao is responsible for building a smart city cloud platform, according to the experience of the European Union in this field. 

The EU's smart cloud platform serves governments, small and medium-sized enterprises and urban residents, forming an entire industrial ecosphere. "The platform, once finished next year, will help promote bilateral cooperation and exchanges between China and the EU,” Yao said. 

Hengqin's efficiency impresses Zhao Zhihao, who got his masters and doctorate degrees in the University of Southern California after graduating from Peking University in 1994. He worked as a teacher at then Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou in 2003, and then spent time with China Southern Power Grid. 

"I clearly could see my life after retirement if I continued to work in the power grid company. Life was easy there. I lived overseas for nine years, and had some unrealized dreams. Hengqin offers more opportunities to realize them," Zhao said. 

Zhu Linlang, who works as the chief financial officer of the company, came to Hengqin last April. He had worked in ZTE's branch in Tianjin for five years after graduating from Tsinghua University majoring in international accounting. 

Zhu sees working in Hengqin as giving him many opportunities to make contact with famous enterprises from home and abroad, adding: "Working here, I grow fast, and have a comparatively stronger sense of achievement."

Deng Lianbing, executive director and general manager of the company, has worked in Hengqin for seven years. He quit a stable job in a State-owned enterprise to move to the island. He worked in a port operating company before taking up his current post in the technology company. 

"Starting from scratch, I have realized my dreams one after another. I am involved in the process of the Hengqin's development. It gives me a strong sense of gain," Deng said. 

Many of the people, ranging in age from their 30s to 50s, have their families living in the other cities. Zhao Zhihai, whose family remains in neighboring Guangzhou, said: "Coming to Hengqin at a golden age and with rich work experience, we find our positions reflect our ambitions more accurately. "

"With a stable family, we do not have that much pressure from life. We have come here to do something significant. So, we can settle down in our jobs. Many young people are reluctant to come here because they think the life will be too tough."

Yu Dayong, an employee of the company, whose family is in Shenzhen, has a family reunion only at the weekend. "I value the opportunities and platforms in Hengqin very much. Although it is far from home, I have a lot to do here."

Zhu Linlang moved his family from Tianjin to Zhuhai shortly after securing his job in the company. He regards Hengqin as his second hometown. 

Yao Xiang enjoys his work, but still feels sorry that he is too busy to well look after his two children and wife, who live in the latter's hometown far from Hengqin.

Li Daming found a job in the company after graduating from the City University of Macao as the first post-doctorate coming to work in Hengqin. He speaks highly of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau cooperation, and thinks Hengqin has an important role to play in the process. 

He has settled in Hengqin, now. "The construction of the smart city in Hengqin provides broad space for development. Hengqin is improving its infrastructure facilities and the future is promising," Li said. 

Zhang Zichao, in his 20s, was born in Zhuhai. He came to Hengqin in March after working in Guangzhou for some time. "The pace of life in Hengqin is even faster than Guangzhou. We can use our ability and knowledge to build the island to serve the people," Zhang said, expressing confidence in his future.

"I'm honored that I am a constructor of Hengqin, and a witness of these great changes," he added.

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