High-quality growth emphasized as key to achievements across Greater Bay Area
After the automotive industry became Guangdong's eighth industrial cluster that is capable of generating at least 1 trillion yuan ($137.97 billion) in annual operating revenue in 2023, the South China province saw new energy emerge as the ninth one last year, according to a senior official.
Huang Kunming, Party secretary of Guangdong, highlighted these developments during the open day of the Guangdong delegation at this year's two sessions — the gatherings of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which are significant political events that shape the country's policy direction.
The open day event, held on Thursday, attracted 267 journalists from 107 domestic and foreign media outlets.
According to official data, Guangdong's new energy industry cluster achieved an operating revenue of 1.1 trillion yuan last year.
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In addition to the automotive and new energy sectors, Guangdong boasts seven other 1-trillion-yuan industrial clusters. They are next-generation electronic information, green petrochemicals, smart home appliances, advanced materials, modern light industry and textiles, software and information services, modern agriculture and food.
Huang highlighted Guangdong's pragmatic approach to building a modern industrial system, focusing on industrial and agricultural production and promoting high-quality development.
The province remains committed to developing the real economy with manufacturing at its core, emphasizing integrated development, open collaboration, and policy optimization to accelerate the construction of a modern industrial system with local characteristics and advantages.
When discussing innovation and supporting advantages for the construction of a modern industrial system, Huang mentioned that the country has established key national laboratories and facilities in Guangdong, such as Pengcheng and Guangzhou laboratories, China Spallation Neutron Source, and Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory.
Also, Guangdong has various professional divisions and application scenarios, allowing good results and ideas to quickly transform into good products and services, Huang noted.
This year, Guangdong plans to launch a talent recruitment plan, aiming to attract 1 million college graduates to work and start businesses in the province. It also welcomes entrepreneurs to invest and develop their ventures.
Regarding the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Wang Weizhong, governor of Guangdong, affirmed the province's commitment to collaborating with the two special administrative regions to build a world-class Bay Area.
Specific measures include enhancing mechanism alignment in personnel exchanges, traffic, capital and data flows, and government services to boost market integration within the Bay Area.
Additionally, efforts will focus on making the Bay Area a demonstration zone for high-quality development, with technological innovation driving the development of new quality productive forces.
Joint scientific research efforts among the three regions will be intensified, particularly in emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous driving, the low-altitude economy, biomanufacturing, quantum technology, and commercial aerospace.
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To further promote cooperation and integration, new Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao joint laboratories will be established this year, and provincial-level key research plans and major basic research projects will remain open to Hong Kong and Macao.
Since its launch in 2019, the Bay Area has already made significant economic contributions, creating one-ninth of the country's economic aggregate with less than 1 percent of the national land area and 6 percent of the population. Its economic aggregate reached 14.5 trillion yuan in 2024, an increase of 3.7 trillion yuan compared to 2018.
Hengqin in Guangdong province has played a crucial role in promoting the diversified development of Macao's economy. For over 15 years, Hengqin's GDP has grown significantly, surging from 285 million yuan to 53.8 billion yuan, an average annual growth rate of 27.4 percent.
Investing in the Greater Bay Area aligns with the national strategy, offering a gateway to the future, Wang said. Late this year, the 15th National Games and the National Paralympic Games will be jointly hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao for the first time. Wang warmly welcomes people to experience the dynamic transformations taking place in the Bay Area and the province.
