Sixteen foremost domestic companies signed 2.3 billion yuan ($333 million) in investment deals with the Xiangzhou District government on Dec 13. Deputy Mayor Kong Lingdong reacted by saying that Zhuhai will become a unique innovation highland in the Greater Bay Area.

The Fast Company Reloading 2019 conference, cohosted by the leading progressive business media magazine and Xiangzhou District government, attracted nearly a thousand founders and senior executives of renowned domestic and overseas businesses. These include Tencent Cloud, JD Finance, and iQiyi along with China's 50 Most Innovative Companies selected over the years. A dozen experts, scholars, and big-name innovators delivered keynote speeches.

Shenzhen Miracle (7G), a mobile network technology supplier, and Youjia Minsu, a Beijing-based information technology company, were among those finalizing investments.

Deals confirmed

Insights were shared on how to promote overall innovation in Chinese industries. Keynote speeches addressed the development of artificial intelligence, intelligent manufacturing, and new retail. It was reported that, "Arguably, this is the place of choice for innovative entrepreneurship and the realization of dreams."

Participants were also led to experience Zhuhai and Xiangzhou's favorable business environment, picturesque cityscapes, and cultural charms. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge that makes Xiangzhou a bridgehead for cooperation within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was a large token of the district's bright developmental prospects to all those attending.

Keynote speech [Photos by Cheng Lin / Zhuhai Daily]

Beginning with Gongbei, Jida, and Old Xiangzhou, the central downtown of Zhuhai was the first district in the city to be developed. Xiangzhou now has the most mature infrastructure and most complete ancillary facilities. Its economic aggregate and population account for half of the city's total.

What's more, 594 of 1,400 High & New-Technology Enterprise (HNTE) firms in the city are located in the district -- more than in any other district of Zhuhai, according to Xiangzhou District Mayor Liu Qiying.

Recently, Xiangzhou was ranked fifth in the top 100 Chinese districts list in terms of national scientific and technological innovation capability. The ranking was done by People's Daily, one of the biggest media outlets in China.

The local government has been improving its policies to keep up with the times so it can give the best and the most-needed support it can offer. For example, Xiangzhou has planned 6.7 billion yuan ($972 million) to attract talents in the next five years and will provide a maximum of 100 million yuan ($14.5 million) for innovation and entrepreneurship teams in strategic emerging industries.

Fast Company magazine focuses on innovation in technology, ethical economics, leadership, and design. Headquartered in New York City, each year it announces its ranking of the world's 50 Most Innovative Companies.