Xiangzhou District, Zhuhai

Xiangzhou will invest heavily to meet the goal of 450 new high-technology enterprises in 2017, with other targets concerning technological innovation, industrial upgrades, talent accumulation and opening-up to outside investment.  

The targets are included in the Measures on Innovative Development of Xiangzhou District issued at the end of last month, which seeks to make the district a regional innovative development and service center.

The new terms contained in the policy stipulate that funding for innovation in the new year should reach 398 million yuan ($58 million). It was also decided that the growth rate of innovation-related finance input should be 5 percent higher than that of the general public budget revenue to guarantee the effective implementation of the measures.

Intelligent manufacturing equipment from Gree [Photo / Zhuhai Daily] 

New and high-technology enterprises give great incentives

Last year, Xiangzhou helped cultivate 159 new and high-technology enterprises, adding to a total number of 284, accounting for more than 36 percent of the total amount in Zhuhai, the largest proportion. The endeavor to develop more will be strengthened with additional funding of 120 million yuan ($17 million) in 2017.    

Enterprises with better performance will be financially encouraged to expand above the designated size and earn an annual business revenue of more than 20 million yuan ($2.9 million). They will be rewarded with up to 30 million yuan ($4.4 million).

More platforms to incubate startups

Xiangzhou plans to promote the establishment and development of local research institutes and incubators with the help of famous universities, such as the Tsinghua University and Jinan University. With more brain power and investment, Kimka Creative Valley, V12 Cultural & Creative Industry Park and other high-positioned incubators are expected to grow a whole chain for business attraction, startup fostering and providing comprehensive services. The number of enterprises succeeding in growing projects this year is expected to hit 200.

Last year, Xiangzhou was chosen to be home to the first branch of DFKI (German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence), one of the world's largest nonprofit contract research institutes in the AI industry. To ensure it launches official operations in the third quarter of this year, Xiangzhou will spare no efforts to strive for joint financing from the Zhuhai municipal government and Xiangzhou government, with the total amount reaching 24 million yuan ($3.5 million).

A processing workshop in Xiangzhou District, Zhuhai [Photo / hizh.cn]

Competitive enterprises sought to expand

Zhuhai leading enterprises, such as Gree Electric Appliances and Apex Technology, are at the key point for expansion. Apex, who last year acquired world-leading printing products and services provider Lexmark International, will gain more support to accelerate preparations for a new head office in the district, ensuring the construction starts by September. 

Panasonic Motor, Hettich Furniture Hardware and Titan New Power Electronics will also be encouraged to carry out information-based operations and introduce robots to reduce human labor. They can apply for a supporting fund of 40 million yuan ($5.8 million) in total.

The government also launched a project aimed at the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) last year, benefiting more than 100 companies by providing financial service, talent training and trade exchanges.  

According to the measures, about 500 privately or individually-owned business will upgrade to enterprises. At least 100 of them will be above the SME size.

Trans-regional cooperation to be furthered

The Xiangzhou government will pursue more precise external investments capable of producing a strong radiation effect for local industries. 

Hong Kong will be Xiangzhou's first target cooperator. It is planned that competitive enterprises such as Goldpac, a first-class supplier of financial cards and personalization services, should endeavor to contract outsourced service projects from Hong Kong, and contribute to make Xiangzhou a backstage manufacturing base for the productive service industry.

Government officials should contact domestic investment agencies and take an active role in promoting the district's good business environment in Shenzhen, Silicon Valley and Cambridge where innovation resources are highly concentrated. Additional cutting-edge technology, high-end talent and industries will be introduced to foster and serve a series of international projects located in Xiangzhou.    

Zhuhai Kimka Creative Valley in Xiangzhou [Photo / hizh.cn]

High-end information industry expected to grow

Xiangzhou occupies a land area of 300 sq km with not much left for architectural complexes. Based on this, the government has decided to introduce more high-end information projects from home and abroad, which boast a small land occupation and high talent agglomeration. The district will also try to maintain R&D, monitoring and other sectors of high added value, to develop the industry into a new growth pole for Xiangzhou within three years.

Specific industry polices will be formulated in the near future.