A new training center for mainland workers who will work in Macao officially opened its doors after a grand ceremony at Zhuhai Technician College in the Zhuhai special economic zone of Guangdong province on Tuesday.

The center, which can train more than 12,000 people a year, is expected to further improve the knowledge and working skill level of mainland workers who will be employed in Macao in the following months, Guangzhou Daily reported.

Jointly operated by the Zhuhai and Macao governments, the center is the country's first and only training agency to offer pre-work training and skill improvements to mainland workers who will work in Macao, the newspaper said.

The center is expected to play an important role in expanding cooperation between Guangdong province and Macao.

Meanwhile, the Zhuhai Hengqin New Area has introduced a series of preferential policies in housing, education, employment, taxation, medical insurance and training to encourage and support young people from Macao to start their business in the area in the months ahead.

According to the preferential policies, those from Macao and aged between 18 and 45 can apply for business start-up loans up to 20 million yuan ($2.86 million) and another 500,000 yuan for housing.

The preferential policies aim to help build Hengqin New Area into a center for innovation and business startups for youth from Macao. It will further lower its thresholds for young people from Macao to start businesses in the area in the coming months.

By the end of October, Hengqin New Area had attracted more than 3,000 companies funded by Hong Kong and Macao investors. Of them, 1,400 have come from Macao investors and business representatives.