Guangdong remains front-runner in deepening reform and opening-up

Guangdong will further deepen reform and opening-up, expand both domestic and international openness, seize the abundant opportunities offered by the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and accelerate the building of a dynamic, internationally competitive first-class bay area and world-class urban cluster, said deputies to the National People's Congress.

During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), Guangdong will actively advance comprehensive economic and social development, forging a new model for the modernization of Chinese characteristics, representatives said during a group deliberation on Friday.

In recent years, Guangdong has vigorously pursued a dual-strength strategy, promoting industrial and technological advancement while accelerating the development of new productive forces to drive economic growth to new heights, said Huang Kunming, Party secretary of Guangdong province, and a deputy to the 14th NPC.

R&D intensity in Guangdong has reached 3.6 percent across all sectors, fostering multiple trillion-yuan industrial clusters, while the core artificial intelligence industry has grown to 300 billion yuan ($43.5 billion) in recent years, Huang said.

Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan, the province will promote the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation and foster coordinated development between manufacturing and service sectors, striving to cultivate more trillion- and multi-trillion-yuan industrial clusters in emerging fields such as 6G, low-altitude economy, embodied intelligence, and quantum technology, he said.

Building on the successful joint hosting of the 15th National Games and the National Paralympic and Special Olympic Games with Hong Kong and Macao last year, Guangdong will further strengthen cooperation among the three regions to accelerate the development of a dynamic, internationally competitive, world-class bay area and global urban cluster, Huang said.

"Through years of close collaboration between Guangdong and Macao, both tangible and intangible conditions have steadily matured. With abundant advantages, ample opportunities, and vast potential, Guangdong will vigorously advance the development of the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone," he said.

This initiative is set to further drive the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and elevate Guangdong-Macao cooperation to new heights, he added.

Guangdong is home to the country's largest population, highest economic output, greatest number of market entities, and the most diverse range of application scenarios, Guangdong Governor Meng Fanli, who is also a deputy to the 14th NPC, said.

Throughout the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Guangdong will prioritize the high-quality development of its service sector to drive both industrial and economic growth, while supporting the advancement of its manufacturing sector, he noted, saying that the province will expedite the large-scale growth of its service industry.

Guangdong will also advance its international development, leveraging the significant opportunities presented by the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen this November to further open up its service sector and promote the growth, sophistication, and strengthening of its service trade, Meng added.

Shenzhen Mayor Qin Weizhong, also a 14th NPC deputy, said that Shenzhen is accelerating its development into a globally influential economic center and a modern international metropolis.

Shenzhen will upgrade its international infrastructure and capabilities, broaden its global partnerships, and strengthen collaboration in AI, new energy, and green transformation, offering the "Shenzhen Solution" to promote shared prosperity across the Asia-Pacific, Qin said.

"The APEC meeting will provide a powerful impetus for Shenzhen to deepen reform and opening-up and advance innovation-driven development. It will strengthen the city's global presence, boost its competitiveness and innovation capabilities, and accelerate its emergence as a world-class city," he said.