BEIJING -- China on Friday announced new policies enabling residents of Shenzhen and Zhuhai in Guangdong, the economic powerhouse province, to make more frequent visits to neighboring Hong Kong and Macao.

The measures are seen as the country's latest efforts to enhance mobility and foster deeper integration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

According to a statement from the Exit and Entry Administration, starting Dec 1, 2024, permanent residents of Shenzhen and holders of residence permits in the city will be eligible to apply for multi-entry permits to Hong Kong. The permits allow unlimited visits to the city within a year, with each stay capped at seven days.

From Jan 1, 2025, permanent residents of Zhuhai City will be able to apply for a "one trip per week" permit for Macao. Under the policy, they can visit Macao once per calendar week, with a maximum stay of seven days per trip.

Also starting Jan 1, 2025, permanent residents and residence permit holders in the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin will be eligible to apply for multi-entry permits to Macao, enabling unrestricted visits for up to seven days per stay within a one-year validity period.

The Greater Bay Area, encompassing China's two special administrative regions and nine cities in Guangdong, is home to around 86 million people. It serves as a hub for innovation, finance and trade, maintaining dynamic connections to global markets. Last year, the region's total economic output matched that of Canada.