The Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone was ratified as a national digital service export center at a press conference held by the Ministry of Commerce on April 16.

Basic conditions for the development of digital services in the zone

In recent years, under the supervision of the Anhui provincial government and the Hefei municipal government, the zone has seized upon the global wave of digital development and market opportunities, promoted the comprehensive development of the regional digital service industry, and achieved breakthroughs in the scale of the digital service industry and distinct industrial clusters, industrial carrier construction, public service platform operation, statistical supervision system improvement, and industrial environment optimization.

1. Digital services have become the zone's leading industry

The zone has seized upon the wave of digitalization, service development, and market opportunities, hastened the digital transformation and development of industries and enterprises, and achieved remarkable results.

According to statistics from the Bureau of Statistics, as of the end of 2018, there were about 340 digital service companies in the zone using digital technology for R&D, design, and production, and delivering products and services to users through the internet and modern information technology. 300 of them were included in the Service and Trade Direct Reporting System of the Ministry of Commerce.

In 2018, the total output value of the zone's digital service industry reached 65.6 billion yuan ($9.28 billion), accounting for 30 percent of the total income of enterprises above designated size in the zone. Digital service exports were valued at 2.30 billion yuan, accounting for 14 percent of the zone's total foreign trade exports. The digital service industry has become an important driver of the economic and industrial development of the zone.

In 2018, exports related to telecommunications, computers and information services in the zone were valued at 2.30 billion yuan. The output value of the information transmission, software and information service industries was 4.05 billion yuan and 20.04 billion yuan, respectively. In 2017 and 2018, the growth rate of the output value of information transmission, software and information service industries reached 7 percent and 31 percent, respectively.

2. Five digital service industrial clusters grow in scale

The zone is not only strengthening the investment promotion and cluster development of the digital service industry, but also accelerating the digital upgrading of its leading industries. The zone has formed five major digital service industrial clusters led by artificial intelligence, public safety, and integrated circuit design and supported by offshore service outsourcing and high-tech service industries.

In addition, the zone is actively promoting the development of the digital content industry, with a group of digital media companies represented by Anhui Broadcasting Information, Xin'an Media and Hefei Cable as well as a group of digital entertainment companies represented by Ivy Mobile and Elex. In 2018, the zone's digital content industry achieved an operating income of 4 billion yuan and a compound growth rate of 15 percent, accounting for 7 percent of the zone's digital service industry.

3. Multidimensional digital industry layout and carriers support industrial development

Relying on the construction of two digital service industrial parks, "China Speech Valley" and "China Security Valley", the zone is continuing to increase and improve digital service infrastructure and actively cultivate a national independent innovation demonstration zone, national intellectual property demonstration zone, and other digital service parks.

It has strengthened the joint development of digital service trade and modern industry and has formed a "two-core multi-park" digital service industrial development pattern featuring concentrated digital service elements, enterprise clusters, and industrial agglomeration.