Photo: Nanfang Plus

The Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and Macao has taken a major step toward becoming a regional hub for international digital trade with the launch of the cross-border trusted data space. The initiative was unveiled on July 8 during a high-level summit focused on cross-border data flows and digital economy cooperation between Guangdong and Macao.

Photo: Nanfang Plus

The new data space, co-developed by the International Data Spaces Association (IDSA) and the China Future Internet Engineering Center (CFIEC), aims to enable secure and privacy-preserving cross-border data sharing, serving businesses engaged in global operations. It will form part of a broader digital ecosystem anchored in Hengqin's ongoing efforts to build a global digital trade port.

Key partnerships were also announced, including the launch of the “Guangdong-Macao Trusted Medical Data Space (粤澳医疗可信数据空间),” a pilot project enabling the exchange of medical data such as health records and diagnostic reports across borders. The initiative is expected to support AI-assisted diagnosis and smart healthcare services. Additionally, the formation of the Macao-Hengqin Digital Business Alliance (澳琴数商联盟) marks a shift from isolated digital projects to more integrated cooperation between tech enterprises from both sides.

Officials emphasized a “technology + regulation + application” framework as the foundation for new cross-border data flow models, highlighting Macao's role as a strategic connector to Portuguese-speaking markets such as Brazil.

With tech giants like ByteDance, Tencent Music, and China Telecom already operating in the cooperation zone, the region is positioning itself as a front-runner in international data collaboration. The summit gathered around 140 delegates from government, academia, and industry, reinforcing Hengqin and Macao's ambitions to shape an open and interoperable global digital economy.