The five-year evolution of "China's No. 1 Bay": With less than 0.6% of the country's land area, it has created 1/9 of the country's total economic output

The five-year evolution of "China's No. 1 Bay": With less than 0.6% of the country's land area, it has created 1/9 of the country's total economic output

Invest in Zhaoqing 2024-06-12 23:38 Guangdong, China

*The construction of another super project in the Greater Bay Area, the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Channel, has entered the sprint stage. Photo by Yangcheng Evening News Omnimedia reporter Zhou Wei, Zeng Yuwen, and correspondent Shen Zhong

In 2019, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued the "Outline of the Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area". More than five years have passed. What progress has been made in the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area?

On the morning of June 11, 2024, a briefing on the "Opportunity Bay Area" Guangdong theme interview activity was held in Guangzhou. Zhang Hu, member of the Standing Committee of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and Executive Vice Governor, as well as relevant persons in charge of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, the Provincial Department of Science and Technology, and the four major cooperation platforms of Hengqin, Qianhai, Nansha, and Hetao attended the meeting and introduced the relevant situation.

Data speaks: The Greater Bay Area, with less than 0.6% of the country's land area, has created 1/9 of the country's total economic output; the total economic output has increased from 10.8 trillion yuan in 2018 to over 14 trillion yuan in 2023; the "Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou" technology cluster has ranked second in the world for four consecutive years, and Guangdong's regional innovation comprehensive capacity has ranked first in the country for seven consecutive years...

Case speaks: The "cross-border handling" of Guangdong-Hong Kong government services has been implemented, and 108 high-frequency government services have been implemented across Guangdong and Hong Kong; the "super subway" in the Greater Bay Area has been opened, connecting Huizhou, Dongguan, Guangzhou, Foshan, and Zhaoqing; the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Channel is about to open to traffic, and the driving time between Shenzhen and Zhongshan will be shortened from 2 hours to about 30 minutes...

After five years of transformation, the comprehensive strength of the Greater Bay Area has been continuously enhanced, the cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao has become more extensive and in-depth, and the construction of an international first-class bay area and a world-class city cluster has taken solid steps.

*The Greater Bay Area has emerged as a highland for the new energy vehicle industry. Data map

14 trillion yuan GDP, strong strength and better quality

The construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is a major national strategy personally planned, deployed and promoted by General Secretary Xi Jinping. Guangdong resolutely implements the decisions and deployments of the General Secretary and the Party Central Committee, regards the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as a major political task, puts it at the top of the province's work, and works with Hong Kong and Macao to promote the construction of the Greater Bay Area.

With the strong support of top-level design, the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has been in full swing in the past five years. From the perspective of economic aggregate alone, the GDP of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has increased by 3.2 trillion yuan in five years, from 10.8 trillion yuan to 14 trillion yuan, which is equivalent to creating another Shenzhen City, contributing nearly one-tenth of China's GDP growth in the same period, and is a well-deserved main economic engine and "China's No. 1 Bay".

When looking at economic data, we should not only look at the total amount, but also look at the "quality" - economic structure and development quality. Since the launch of the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Guangdong has continued to promote the efficient aggregation of innovative resources. The "Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou" technology cluster has ranked second in the Global Innovation Index for four consecutive years, and Guangdong's regional comprehensive innovation capacity has ranked first in the country for consecutive years. Nine major national scientific and technological infrastructure such as the Spallation Neutron Source are deployed in the Greater Bay Area, and the construction of the Greater Bay Area International Science and Technology Innovation Center and the Greater Bay Area Comprehensive National Science Center is being further promoted. Pengcheng Laboratory, Guangzhou Laboratory, and 31 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratories have been put into operation, and the high-level innovation platform system has been continuously improved.

A series of large-scale measures have greatly promoted the high-quality development of various high-tech industries in the Greater Bay Area, and new quality productivity has continued to gather in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

In 2023, Guangdong will have 75,000 national high-tech enterprises, ranking first in the country for eight consecutive years, and the number of enterprises located in the mainland of the Greater Bay Area accounts for about 95%. Guangdong has cultivated a total of 53 first-batch chain leader enterprises, 190 national manufacturing champions, 1,528 national specialized and new "little giant" enterprises, and 70 unicorn enterprises, ranking among the top in the country.

In addition, Guangdong has focused on promoting the development of 10 strategic pillar industries and 10 strategic emerging industries. In 2023, the province's 20 strategic industrial clusters will achieve a year-on-year increase of 5.2% in added value, accounting for 40% of GDP, and strategic industrial clusters will gradually become the main engine of economic growth. The Greater Bay Area has formed eight trillion-yuan-level industrial clusters, including new generation electronic information, green petrochemicals, smart home appliances, and automobiles.

Taking automobiles as an example, Guangdong has grown from the largest automobile province to the largest new energy vehicle province. In 2023, the annual output of new energy vehicles will reach 2.53 million, ranking first in the country, and one out of every four new energy vehicles in the country will be "made in Guangdong".

*Greater Bay Area "Super Metro"-Guangdong Intercity with four lines connected, passenger flow is rising steadily. 

Integration and interconnection, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao "two-way rush" has become a new normal

Recently, the fully opened Greater Bay Area "Super Metro" has been frequently searched on the Internet. This intercity railway connecting five mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area, Huizhou, Dongguan, Guangzhou, Foshan and Zhaoqing, has facilitated the travel of citizens along the line.

This month, another super project after the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link, will be officially opened to traffic. This bridge across the east and west banks of the Pearl River Estuary will shorten the driving time between Shenzhen and Zhongshan from 2 hours to about 30 minutes.

With the steady progress of the construction of the Greater Bay Area, the hard connection of infrastructure within the Greater Bay Area has made people feel more and more convenient. The "Greater Bay Area on Track" has been accelerated, and landmark projects such as the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong, Guangzhou-Shantou and Shantou-Shantou high-speed railways have been completed and put into operation. The operating mileage of Guangdong high-speed railways has reached 2,838 kilometers, basically achieving 1-hour access between major cities in the Greater Bay Area. The construction of cross-sea and cross-river channel groups has been accelerated, and the transportation conditions on the east and west banks of the Pearl River Estuary have been continuously improved. The "skeleton" supporting the high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area is stronger, the "blood vessels" are more unobstructed, and the "foundation" is more solid.

*The number of single-plate vehicles going north from Hong Kong and Macao continues to break records. 

Since 2023, the craze of Hong Kong people going north to consume has attracted widespread attention. The scope of the "free travel" cities from the mainland to Hong Kong has been expanded, and Hengqin has implemented the policy of "group entry and group exit" for tourist groups, and the exchanges between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have become closer. The policies of "Hong Kong cars going north" and "Macao cars going north" have been implemented successively, further promoting personnel exchanges between the three places. The Liantang/Xiangyuanwei Port, the New Hengqin Port, the Qingmao Port and other ports between Guangdong and Hong Kong and Guangdong and Macao have been opened one after another. Two-thirds of inbound and outbound passengers go through customs through self-service, and the average customs clearance time per person has been shortened to about 30 seconds.

Data shows that in 2023, 53 million Hong Kong residents went north to the mainland; from January to May this year, the number of inbound and outbound passengers through the Zhuhai Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge exceeded 10 million. People are increasingly aware that "the two-way life of Guangdong and Hong Kong and Macao residents has become a new normal."

In addition to the hard connection of infrastructure, there is also the soft connection of rules and systems.

In terms of government services, the cross-border government services between Guangdong and Hong Kong have been officially implemented. Guangdong and Hong Kong have taken the lead in realizing mutual recognition of digital identity authentication, and 108 high-frequency government services have been realized in cross-border services between Guangdong and Hong Kong.

In terms of financial services, measures such as the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect, the Southbound Bond Connect, the Cross-border Wealth Management Connect, and the Swap Connect have been implemented, and the RMB has become the largest settlement currency for cross-border payments and receipts between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao.

In terms of mutual recognition of professional qualifications, Guangdong and Hong Kong and Macao have promoted the recognition of professional qualifications in the fields of doctors, teachers, and tour guides, and have tried to allow Hong Kong and Macao tour guides to practice in Hengqin, promote Hong Kong and Macao medical professionals to practice in Guangdong, and expand the mutual recognition of professional qualifications in the field of construction. A total of 3,950 Hong Kong and Macao professionals have obtained registered professional qualifications in the Mainland.

In terms of standard connection, Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao jointly announced 183 "Bay Area Standards" covering 32 fields such as food, traditional Chinese medicine, transportation, and elderly care.

…

Many achievements show that the "Bay Area Connect" is turning from a blueprint into reality.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is one of the most open and economically dynamic regions in China. It is now steadily moving towards becoming an international first-class bay area and a world-class city cluster. Zhang Hu said: "Guangdong insists on taking planning in hand, implementing projects on the ground, integrating the future on the road, and keeping the people in mind. It regards the construction of the Greater Bay Area as a major opportunity and a major project for Guangdong to deepen reform and opening up, and will work hard to do this major event with the whole province, and work with Hong Kong and Macao to build a Greater Bay Area that integrates into the domestic and international dual circulation, embarks on the road of high-quality development, and demonstrates the characteristics of Chinese modernization."

Reading the Bay Area in Numbers

The total economic output of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has increased from 10.8 trillion yuan in 2018 to over 14 trillion yuan in 2023. With less than 0.6% of the country's land area, it has created 1/9 of the country's total economic output. The "Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou" technology cluster has ranked second in the world for four consecutive years, and Guangdong's regional comprehensive innovation capacity has ranked first in the country for seven consecutive years. The annual passenger throughput capacity of the Greater Bay Area airport group exceeds 280 million people, and the annual container throughput capacity of the port group exceeds 85 million TEUs. The route network covers major cities and major trade ports in the world.

On-site quotes

Zhu Wei, Deputy Director of the Development and Reform Commission of Guangdong Province and Executive Deputy Director of the Guangdong Greater Bay Area Office

Actively strive for national support for the Greater Bay Area to build 5G, integrated circuits, nano, biomedicine and other four major industrial innovation highlands and make positive progress.

The China Spallation Neutron Source in Dongguan has been put into operation and opened to the world. It has attracted more than 6,000 researchers from around the world to conduct research and completed more than 1,500 experimental projects.

Guangdong has grown from the largest automobile province to the largest new energy vehicle province. In 2023, the annual output of new energy vehicles will reach 2.53 million, ranking first in the country. One out of every four new energy vehicles in the country is "made in Guangdong".

Liang Qinru, Deputy Director of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology

Guangdong's regional innovation capacity has ranked first in the country for seven consecutive years. Six Hong Kong and Macao universities have established 10 new Guangdong R&D institutions in the Pearl River Delta region. There are 31 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao joint laboratories and more than 130 incubation carriers for Hong Kong and Macao. Talents from Hong Kong and Macao are accelerating to innovate and start businesses in the mainland.

The "Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou" technology cluster has ranked second in the Global Innovation Index for four consecutive years.

Chen Lei, Deputy Director of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology

Guangdong seizes opportunities in new fields in the future, focusing on taking the lead and occupying a good position in future industries such as 6G (especially aerospace networks), quantum technology, life sciences, and artificial intelligence.

One out of every four new energy vehicles in the country is "made in Guangdong", and one out of every three industrial robots in the country is "made in Guangdong".

By the end of 2023, Guangdong will have a total of 326,000 5G base stations and 86.821 million 5G users, both ranking first in the country, achieving continuous coverage of all county-level main urban areas and basic coverage of town-level main urban areas.

Liu Wei, member of the Standing Committee of the Guangzhou Municipal Party Committee, Secretary of the Nansha District Party Committee, and Director of the Provincial Nansha Office

In 2023, the added value of advanced manufacturing and strategic emerging industries will account for 61% of the regional GDP, demonstrating the distinctive nature of the manufacturing industry. In the first quarter of this year, more than 60 industrial projects were signed with an investment of more than 200 billion yuan, and a total of 278 investment projects from Fortune 500 companies were introduced. The actual use of foreign capital ranked second in the national economic development zone for two consecutive years.

Fu Yongge, Deputy Director of the Executive Committee of Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone

In the first quarter, the GDP of Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone reached 12.112 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 9.2%; the total retail sales of consumer goods, general public budget revenue, total imports and exports, and actual absorption of Macao investment all achieved double-digit growth year-on-year.

Wang Jinxia, ​​Deputy Director of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone Administration

In the first quarter, the GDP of Qianhai increased by 7.6%, and the fixed asset investment increased by 20.2%; the total imports and exports increased by 31.2%, and the actual use of foreign capital was 969 million US dollars, accounting for 58.4% of Shenzhen, 19.1% of the province, and 2.3% of the country.

Zeng Jianpeng, Director of Shenzhen Park Development Bureau of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone

Hetao Shenzhen Park has gathered more than 160 high-end scientific research projects and 15,000 scientific research talents, including 2 drug and device review and evaluation centers of the State Drug Administration; branches of 3 laboratories in Pengcheng, Hefei and Guangzhou; 5 research institutes of Hong Kong universities including HKUST, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Polytechnic and Chinese University of Hong Kong; 5 R&D centers of central enterprises including China FAW, China Merchants Group and China Resources; 6 R&D centers of Fortune 500 foreign companies including Apple Applied Research Laboratory and Siemens Shenzhen Energy Innovation Center.

Counties and cities under Zhaoqing, Guangdong, contact information of investment promotion bureaus

Zhaoqing High-tech Zone Investment Promotion Bureau

Address: 15/F, Fumin Building, Zhaoqing Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, Zhaoqing, Guangdong

Tel:  0086-758-3983186

Fax: 0086-758-3983988

Email: zqgxzs@163.com

Zhaoqing New Area Economic Promotion Bureau

Address: within the Management Committee of Zhaoqing New Area, No. 1 Jinhua Road, Dinghu District, Zhaoqing City, Guangdong Province

Tel:   0086-758-2583333

Fax:  0086-758-2588213

Email: investzqxq@163.com

Economic Promotion Bureau of Guangdong-Guangxi Cooperation Special Experimental Zone (Zhaoqing) and Investment Promotion Bureau of Fengkai County

Address: the fifth floor of the Administrative Center Building, Fuqian Road, Fengkai County, Zhaoqing City, Guangdong Province, and the fourth floor of the Administrative Center Building, Fuqian Road, Fengkai County, Zhaoqing City, Guangdong Province;

Tel:  0086-758-6689238,   0086-758 -6667757;

Fax: 0086-758-6689383,   0086-758-6683786;

Email: ygjcj888@126.com 、 fkzsj@126.com

Investment Promotion Bureau of Huaiji County

Address: Investment Promotion Bureau of Huaiji County, Jinji Park, Xingfu 1st Road, Huaiji County, Zhaoqing City, Guangdong Province

Tel:  0086-758-5555666

Fax: 0086-758-5553436

Email: zqhjzsj@163.com

Investment Promotion Bureau of Gaoyao District

Address: No.201, Nanxing 1st Road, Nan'an Street, Gaoyao District, Zhaoqing City

Tel:   0086-758-8392673

Fax:  0086-758-8200738

Email: gyzsjwlk@163.com

Investment Promotion Bureau of Sihui City

Address: 3F, Administrative Center, Dongcheng Street, Sihui City, Guangdong Province

Tel:   0086-758-3611228

Fax:  0086-758-3611188

Email: SHQYFW@VIP.163.com

Investment Promotion Bureau of Dinghu District

Address: in the People's Government compound of Dinghu District, Luoyin Road, Dinghu District, Zhaoqing City, Guangdong Province

Tel:   0086-758-2626878

Fax:  0086-758-2626908

Email: dh2629813@163.com

Guangning County Investment Promotion Bureau

Address: No. 6, Daxin Road, Chebeidong, Nanjie Town, Guangning County, Zhaoqing City, Guangdong Province

Tel:   0086-758-8639338

Fax:  0086-758-8669831

Email: gnzsb01@163.com

Deqing County Investment Promotion Bureau

Address: Headquarters of Deqing Industrial Park, Zhaoqing City, Guangdong Province

Tel:    0086-758-7780802

Fax:  0086-758-7780802

Email: 7780802@163.com