General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) should focus on its strategic positioning of developing into an international center for science and technology innovation, strive to build a global highland for scientific and technological innovation, and promote the development of emerging industries. Today, the GBA is witnessing an accelerated agglomeration of innovation elements. It has opened up new horizons for development through deepened cooperation and is steadily advancing at a solid pace to become a world benchmark for international science and technology innovation centers.
How fast can collaborative innovation proceed in the GBA?
A robotic hand developed in Hong Kong can grasp a balloon without popping it and an egg without breaking it, and this R&D achievement has crossed the Shenzhen River to achieve industrialization in Shenzhen. Currently, an intention to transform a high – value patent is reached in the GBA every two hours on average, which is quickly connected to the upper and lower reaches of the industrial chain.
The linkage between science cities keeps accelerating. It takes 30 minutes for Hong Kong researchers to commute directly to the Hetao Shenzhen Park on a point – to – point basis. Cross – border laboratory equipment can be delivered to laboratories within 48 hours through the “report – and – inspect – immediately” mechanism. Driven by the innovation corridor, the number of joint research projects involving Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao has increased by 40%.
Now, more than 400 invention patents are granted in the GBA every day on average. This year, the Shenzhen – Hong Kong – Guangzhou innovation cluster topped the list of the World’s Top 100 Innovation Clusters for the first time.
Innovation is the key to developing the GBA successfully. In 2012, right after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping made his first inspection tour outside Beijing to Guangdong. He proposed that Guangdong join hands with Hong Kong and Macao to build a world – class urban cluster with stronger comprehensive competitiveness, laying a strategic foundation for the coordinated innovation and development of the GBA.
Since then, every time General Secretary Xi Jinping has inspected Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, he has gone deep into the frontline of innovation. In Hong Kong, he stated that Hong Kong can join forces with the mainland cities in the GBA, work towards the same goal, and strengthen the industry – university – research innovation coordination. In Macao, he urged Macao to actively participate in the development of the GBA, integrate high – quality resources, and deepen coordinated development.
During his recent trip to Guangdong, the General Secretary once again emphasized the need to focus on deepening Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macao cooperation, strengthen scientific and technological innovation cooperation and infrastructure interconnection and intercommunication. He also called for staying committed to the goal of building a first – class bay area and a world – class urban cluster with vitality and international competitiveness, working together steadily to achieve breakthroughs in key areas and promote overall development.
In 2019, the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macao Greater Bay Area was officially released, which clearly set the goal of building an international center for science and technology innovation.
With this strategic goal in mind, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have broken down barriers, united as one, and addressed development challenges through institutional innovation.
Physical connectivity is constantly accelerating. This year, the operating and under – construction railway mileage in the GBA will reach 4,700 kilometers, fully covering the core cities, node cities and key metropolitan areas such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen in the GBA. Not long ago, the policy on talent visas for traveling between the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao was expanded to cover key enterprises in the GBA, greatly improving the efficiency of cross – border commuting for researchers. Institutional connectivity is continuously being upgraded. Guangdong has taken the lead nationwide in realizing the cross – border allocation of provincial fiscal scientific research funds to Hong Kong and Macao, with a total amount exceeding 600 million yuan. Up to now, Guangdong, together with Hong Kong and Macao, has issued 262 “Bay Area Standards”, and 187 high – frequency government services are available for cross – border handling.
Supported by a series of policies, the flow of various factors such as personnel, capital, goods and information among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao has accelerated, and the momentum for innovation has become even stronger.
Breakthroughs from zero to one keep emerging. In Guangdong, the world’s first large – scale scientific facility for deep – sea cold spring ecological research has started construction, and the Jiangmen neutrino experiment has released its first physical results. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology is leading the R&D of a multi – functional lunar surface operation robot and a mobile charging station. The Macao Science 1 satellite has orbited the Earth more than 10,000 times, generating a large amount of high – precision scientific data. These major breakthroughs are driving the GBA to continuously scale new heights in scientific and technological innovation. At present, the GBA has established 2 national laboratories, 45 national key laboratories and 33 Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macao joint laboratories, forming a multi – level and high – level scientific research platform system.
The transformation from one to 100 has become more efficient. Nowadays, the complete industrial system of the nine mainland cities in the GBA is deeply integrated with the advanced modern service industry, financial industry, scientific and educational resources of Hong Kong and Macao.
Not long ago, Bao’an District of Shenzhen released more than 500 application scenarios in a centralized manner. On land, over 280 kilometers of open roads are available for L4 – level autonomous driving tests. At the airport, the latest automation technologies can be verified. In mountain forests, low – altitude UAVs can test more complex flight routes. In recent days, a number of innovative enterprises in the GBA have been attracted to conduct tests here.
Laboratories are closely linked to production lines. Today, emerging industries in the GBA are developing vigorously. The scale of the core artificial intelligence industry has exceeded 220 billion yuan, and 9 trillion – level industrial clusters have consolidated the foundation for high – quality development. Covering less than 0.6% of China’s land area, the GBA has created 1/9 of the country’s total economic output, making it one of the regions with the highest degree of openness and the strongest economic vitality in China.
Where the wave of innovation surges, it is the right time to forge ahead. The just – concluded Central Economic Work Conference re – emphasized the need to build the GBA into an international center for science and technology innovation, injecting new policy dividends into the scientific and technological innovation development of the GBA. At present, focusing on new tracks such as low – altitude economy and bio – manufacturing, the GBA will build 500 – billion – yuan – level emerging industrial clusters and promote the high – end and intelligent transformation and upgrading of competitive industries such as electronic information and advanced equipment manufacturing at an accelerated pace.
