Guangdong province is intensifying efforts to develop its future industries, with a focus on seven strategic sectors including artificial intelligence (AI), life and health, and energy. The provincial government recently issued an action plan aimed at accelerating the growth of these emerging industries and enhancing overall provincial-level coordination in future industry development.
Wu Shiwen, deputy head of the Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission, highlighted the province's ambition to advance its AI and intelligent robotics sectors. Guangdong aims to capitalize on new industrial opportunities and maintain a competitive position in innovation-driven fields. Last year, the province’s core AI industries surpassed 300 billion yuan ($44.16 billion), marking a 40 percent year-on-year increase and representing about one-quarter of China’s total AI industry output.
Guangdong is recognized as a major innovation hub, home to approximately 74,000 high-tech enterprises and 56,000 technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises. Leading technology firms such as Huawei, Tencent, Midea, and DJI operate out of the province. To support scientific innovation, Guangdong has established a multi-tiered laboratory network, including national-level laboratories in Pengcheng and Guangzhou, as well as 24 provincial-level labs, 26 national key laboratories, and 35 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao joint laboratories.
Wu Dongwen, deputy head of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, noted that the region’s manufacturing sector continues to evolve toward high-end, intelligent production. Recent years have witnessed the rapid emergence of new industries and business models. Guangdong now hosts mass production lines for products such as Xpeng AeroHT’s flying cars, G8.6 printed OLED displays, and triple-foldable smartphones. These advanced manufacturing capabilities rely on Guangdong’s comprehensive industrial chain and innovation ecosystem, facilitating the translation of scientific research into market-ready technologies.
In 2023, the added value of 20 industrial clusters accounted for nearly one-third (31.7 percent) of Guangdong’s gross domestic product, with several clusters exceeding the 10 trillion yuan mark. Chen Yushan, deputy director of the Guangdong Institute of Science and Technology Information, described Guangdong’s core technological advantages as rooted in differentiated, complementary strengths and full-chain industrial collaboration. The integration of scientific and industrial innovation is further strengthened by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) initiative.
Chen emphasized the GBA’s distinctive institutional framework under the "one country, two systems" principle, which fosters cross-border collaboration and leverages the complementary strengths of its regions. Hong Kong and Macao contribute strong basic research capabilities, international academic connections, and frontier scientific exploration, while Guangzhou and Shenzhen are centers for universities and major research institutes with abundant science and education resources. Innovation clusters spanning Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Macao, and Zhuhai rank among the top 100 globally, illustrating the effectiveness of coordinated regional synergy in driving technological advancement and industrial development.