Zhuhai ambitious in high-quality industrial development

Zhuhai will adhere to the principle of "Industry First" and give priority to manufacturing, aiming to achieve an industrial output value of over 1 trillion yuan ($153 billion) with more than 4,000 local hi-tech companies by 2025. 

The goals were announced at the Zhuhai Industrial Development Conference on April 24. An action plan was released the same day for the city's high-quality industrial development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25).

According to the action plan, the four leading industries in Zhuhai, namely new-generation information technology (IT), new energy, integrated circuits (IC), as well as biomedicine and health will be further scaled up, while the three advantageous industries of smart home appliances, equipment manufacturing, and fine chemicals will be expanded. 

Modern pillar industry clusters will be formulated, including two for new-generation IT and new energy with output value of over 200 billion yuan ($31 billion) respectively, as well as four 100-billion-yuan ($15-billion) industry clusters covering IC, smart home appliances, equipment manufacturing, and fine chemicals. A 60-billion-yuan ($9-billion) biomedicine and health industrial cluster will be fostered. 

Zhuhai Industrial Development Conference [Photo by Cheng Lin & Zhao Congxing]

The layout of industrial clusters across the city will also be optimized. Xiangzhou District will focus on smart home appliances and manufacturing, IC, digital economy, and big health, while Jinwan will highlight new energy, IC packaging and manufacturing, biomedicine and health, as well as high-end equipment manufacturing. New-generation IT around high-end PCB, as well as smart manufacturing equipment and new energy focusing on power cells and photovoltaic cells will be developed in Doumen. 

The Zhuhai National Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone (Tangjiawan) will promote three cutting-edge industries: semiconductors and IC, information and innovation, as well as artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. Three distinctive industrial clusters focusing on biomedicine and medical devices, new energy and smart grids, as well as digital economy will take shape in Tangjiawan, and future industries will be moderately cultivated. The Hezhou area will focus on the development of cross-boundary innovation industries featuring IT and biomedicine in connection with Hong Kong and Macao.

In terms of investment attraction, closed-loop services from negotiation and settling to operation will be available for newly-invested projects in Zhuhai, with companies able to start construction right after obtaining land use permits.

To elevate the carrying capacity of local industrial parks, a 50-billion-yuan ($8-billion) fund will be equally distributed over five years for their construction of supporting facilities, while a three-year action plan for public school and kindergarten construction will be implemented to benefit workers in industrial parks.

Meanwhile, industrial parks in Zhuhai's east wing will strive to become a new engine driving the city's growth with new technologies and industries, while those in the west wing will devote efforts to attracting major projects and industries with more space and larger investments. 

More rewards will be given to encourage the integrated development of science and technology and Industry, while a strategic echelon of local innovative enterprises will be built. Support will also be provided to innovative enterprises seeking to get listed and additional financing. 

A fund for industrial development of at least 30 billion yuan ($5 billion) will be allocated in the next five years and a capital pool of over 100 billion yuan will be set up to strengthen fiscal and financial security. Financial institutions will be guided to increase loans for the manufacturing industry.

Industry associations are encouraged to play a key role in protecting the legal rights and interests of entrepreneurs.