China Daily Nansha Special

12 nansha special

tuesday, september 6, 2016 China Daily

District puts innovation at heart of growth drive

An ideal economic model for G20

A local quality inspection oﬃcer checks out a product sample.

leaders to examine

Helping to provide a leading platform for international trade

By Qiu QuanLin

in Guangzhou

[email protected]

It took only a few years for GuangzhouOEDTechnologies, a Chinese enterprise engaged in the production of electronic paper, to develop the world’s ﬁrstgrapheneelectronicpaper.

By Zhou Mo

in Guangzhou

[email protected]

Such innovation has propelled Nansha’s economy to achieve rapid growth. The GDP growth rate of the new area has ranked ﬁrst among
The company was established in 2008 in Nansha, a southern districtinGuangzhou, thecapital of Guangdong province.
Nansha New Area is work-

“Our major technologi-

ing to facilitate international allareasinGuangzhoufor 10

trade through innovation as consecutive quarters, accordit aims to build an open and ing to the local government. cal breakthroughs are due to a number of factors, prin-

cipally our increased efforts

convenientplatformforbusi-

An increasing number

in research and development,

nesses from across the globe. of enterprises have been

The efforts are aimed at attracted to set up offices securing increasing trade in Nansha. Oﬃcial statistics cooperation with the G20 show that more than 10,800 economies, whose leaders enterprises had registered gathered in Hangzhou for in Nansha in the first year an international summit on after it formally became a and a sound and healthy businessenvironment,especiallyin the technology and innovation

sector in the booming Nansha Chen Yu, chief executive oﬃcer of Guangzhou OEDTechnologies, examines graphene electric paper.The company, based in Nansha district, boasts district,” said Chen Yu, chief the world’s ﬁrst such product. Nansha has taken the lead in technological research in Guangdong province. ^{photos rovided to China daily}

executiveoﬃcerofGuangzhou

OED Technologies.

economic cooperation.

free trade zone in late 2014.

Compared with traditional e-papers, e-paper made of graphene is more pliable and its higher light transmittance means that it produces much brighter optical displays, according to Chen.
“The new e-paper uses graphene and is expected to not only boost the use of the material worldwide but also help expand the commercial scale of the e-paper industry,” said Chen. After returning from the United States in 2005, Chen began working at the Guangzhou-based Sun Yat-sen University, where he led a team in the research and development ofe-paperdisplaytechnologies.
“E-paper display technology is of great importance to the processofindustrialupgrading inthePearlRiverDeltaregion,” e-readers, electronic shelf

said Chen.

labels and other related low-

Chen established the com- power display applications.

pany in 2008 with the support

Dozens of high-tech compa-

The new area, located in In the ﬁrst half of this year, Guangzhou, the capital city the number of newly regisof Guangdong province, is tered enterprises in the area part of the Guangdong Pilot reached 6,005, with regisFree Trade Zone, which also tered capital hitting 42.9 bilincludes Qianhai in Shen- lion yuan ($6.4 billion).
Xie Ming, deputy director of theNanshaDevelopmentZone Administrative Committee. Seven local companies have also been listed on the New Third Board, or National Equities Exchange and Quotation System, which serves as a national share transfer system for small and medium-sized enterprises to transfer shares and raise funds. The local government has in recent years introduced a series of supportive and innovative measures to encourage high-tech industrial development.

HIGH-TECH SECTOR ON THE UP

Govt investment in R&D

Unit: million yuan

600

532

7.26 times

zhen and Hengqin in Zhu-

In addition to introduc-

400

hai. More than 140 innova- ing innovative measures to tive achievements have been promote international trade made in Nansha since its in Nansha, the Guangzhou oﬃcial launch as a free trade government has also pledged

200

73

Guangzhou

Guangzhou
Dongguan _100km
200 km

0

2010

2015

zone in April 2015.

to turn the new area into the

60km

CHINA DAILY

In one such achievement, city’s sub-center. for example, by integrating

30km

Local companies’ and research institutes’ investment in R&D as part of GDP

2.1%

Nansha

internettechnologywithtraditional customs clearance,

10,800

Nansha has facilitated swifter and more convenient customs clearance procedures. The new system cuts out the need to physically travel to customs oﬃces.

Taishan
Hong Kong

enterprises

Macao

had registered in Nansha in the ﬁrst year after it became a free trade zone in late 2014

The measures have proven effective even amid the economic slowdown.

1.3%

Last year alone, the Nansha district government invested 532 million yuan ($79.96 million)intechnologicalresearch, a more than seven-fold increase on 2010, according local government sources. The district has now established three national-level laboratories, with 65 innovativeplatformscoveringvarious engineering and technological projects. According to the local government, an investment fund fortheinnovationindustryhas been established in Nansha, from which 500 million yuan will be allocated within the next three years to help introduce international investment organizations.

CHINA DAILY

“Our business has

Ren Xuefeng, Party chief

2010

2015

increased 50 percent year- of Guangzhou, said Nansha on-year thanks to the New Area has the foundaenhancement of (customs) tions and market conditions eﬃciency,” said Qu Yanqian, necessary to become the deputy general manager of city’s sub-center as it posNansha-based Guangzhou sesses location, ecological Runshun International and policy advantages. It is according to insiders.

Patent application

1,961

The district, with an area of
803 square kilometers, is currently developing six technology and innovative bases in its Qingsheng, Mingzhu Bay, Huigu, Wangqingsha, Sanmin Island and the Eastern Pearl River areas.

2000 1500 1000
500
0

6.2 times

of angel investors in Nansha nies similar to OED Technolodistrict, which is now part gies have emerged in Nansha of the Guangdong Pilot Free in recent years, due to huge

316

Transport Agency Co Ltd.

not only part of the Guang-

Trade Zone.

local government investment

“An increasing number dong Pilot Free Trade Zone,

of enterprises have been but also one of the country’s attracted to go through cus- national-level new areas.

2010

2015

“The local government has aimed at creating a stable and created a sound and healthy nurturing business environbusiness environment for ment.
Within the six innovative bases, 76 local high-tech companies engaged in information technology, energy-saving and environmental protection and biochemical and pharmaceutical sectors have emerged as catalystsforthelocaleconomy.
“A number of local companies have become industry leaders, thanks to increased investment in technological research, both from the companiesthemselvesandthegovernment in recent years,” said

toms in Nansha. As a result,

Nansha should seize the

tech startups, which has

Nansha, which is also a pilot

the number of international opportunity to build the sub-

shipments has grown con- center, and attract the high-

Patent authorization

helped us grow at a rapid rate zone for nationwide self-innoand enabled us to develop vation, ispositionedtobecome advanced technologies,” said a base for high-tech and stra-

1,289

1500 1000
500
0

siderably there.”

level resources necessary to

5.9 times

The new area has also makeitademonstrationarea thatleadsGuangzhou’sfuture development, Ren said.

Chen.

tegic emerging industries, as

advanced innovation in

cross-border e-commerce supervision and speeded up the process of export tax rebates, shortening the period from 20 working days to just three. According to a research report by the Institute of Free Trade Zones of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, Nansha ranked ﬁrst in “innovation in trade facilitation systems” among the country’s four free trade zones. The other three zones are in Shanghai, Tianjin and Fujian province.

218

The company is now one of well as a hub for international thetwomajorelectronicpaper technology and innovation, display producers and suppli- according to sources with the ersintheworld,engagedinthe local government.
Mao Yanhua, deputy head of the Institute of Free Trade Zones of Sun Yat-Sen University,saidNanshahasbeenthe geographical center of the Pearl River Delta region, but the area needs to improve its transportation system. To this end, the governmenthaspoured156.1billion yuaninto38largeinfrastructureprojectsintheareainan eﬀort to build a transportation network between Nansha, Guangzhou’s city center and the surrounding areas.

2010

2015

“The investment fund will help support the development of more SMEs, especially in the technology and innovation sector,” said Xie.

research, development, manu-

Nansha might be an ideal

Source: Guangzhou Nansha district government

facture, assembly and market- modelforG20leaderstoexaming of thin ﬁlm electrophoretic ine as they seek innovative displays, primarily panels for solutions for their economies,

ZHOU YANG / CHINA DAILY

Company beneﬁts from zone’s supportive initiatives

By Chai hua in Guangzhou

[email protected]

pingwillnotonlybringitsﬂeet agement company located in andshippingability,butalsoits Nansha, said their order numcargo source and market. It could also attract related per day to more than 10,000.

business engaged in the sell-

She added the company’s

ing and leasing of vessels and imported goods warehouse insurancetothearea,henoted, covering more than 7,000 adding that a shipping ﬁnan- squaremetersisconstantlyfull. cial center will also be established in the area. bers have soared from dozens
An increasing number of domestic and international companies are focusing on Nansha district, part of the Guangdong Pilot Free Trade

Zone, in Guangdong province

Shipping is just one indus-

try being supported by and looking for new businesses

development opportunities

In order to attract such com- thriving in Nansha New Area,

panies to the Nansha New which has also attracted more Area, the local administrative than 530 ﬁnancial companies, oﬃcehasformulatedarangeof including 13 branches estabsupportivepolicies, includinga lished by China’s “Big Four” shippingindustryfundtosolve State-owned banks and other logistics fundraising problems. commercial banks. and investments. As part of the ongoing restructuring of State-owned enterprises in China, COSCO

Shipping Bulk Co, formed by Ding Hongdu (left), Nansha Party chief, inks an agreement with

the merger of COSCO Bulk COSCO Shipping Bulk.

Carrier Co and China Shipping

Ding Hongdu, Party chief of

Enterprises engaged in

Bulk Carrier Co, is now the world’s largest bulk vessel ﬂeet intermsofbothnumberofves- said the company will look to quarters in the area. sels and deadweight tonnage.

strengthen its business net-

Experts believe such large-

Nansha district, said the gov- advanced manufacturing are ernment has injected 400 mil- setting up in the zone, includlion yuan into the ﬁrst stage of ing Gac Toyota Motor Co Ltd,
Starting from Nansha, Liu set up its South China head-

the fund.

which is building a factory

The new company was oﬃ- work throughout Europe, Aus- scale projects will continue cially launched in June in the tralia, Singapore and Japan to attract small-and-medium Nansha New Area in Guang- while undertaking research to sized companies there. In the zhou, part of the Guangdong exploreopportunitiesinemerg- first half of the year, 6,005
Improved logistics mea- with a production capacity of sures and facilities have helped 220,000 units. attractthemorethan870cross-
A number of leading comborder e-commerce traders panies are currently in discusthat had registered in the area sion with the zone’s authorities
Free Trade Zone that was ing markets such as India. companies have registered in

established last year.

The COSCO Shipping proj- the area with more than 42.92

by the end of June, he said.

about establishing operations

Liu Hanbo, general manager ect is one of 68 projects billion yuan ($6.4 billion) of of COSCO Shipping, believes established in the Nansha registered capital.
Among the traders are a there,includingtheChinaState number of domestic e-com- ShipbuildingCorporation,Hermerce giants, such as Tmall renknecht AG, a leading Gerand JD’s e-shop for interna- man manufacturer of tunneltionalgoods,aswellasSuning’s drillingmachines.Theeventual

the company will beneﬁt from New Area by 41 Fortune

Zheng Tianxiang, profes-

Thumbs up

both Guangzhou’s position 500 companies, including sor at the Center for Studies as an international trade and L’Oreal, which established of Hong Kong, Macao and the shipping hub, and its impor- R&D and manufacturing PearlRiverDeltaatSunYat-sen tant position as part of the Belt bases, and China Railway University in Guangzhou, said

A Hong Kong couple show their delight at the eﬃcient service in Nansha’s duty-free shops. The district, part of the Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone, oﬀers duty-free policies to customers. Products there range from vehicles to household utilities.

online store.

aim is to form an industrial

Li Jinling, vice-president of cluster of high-end manufac-

Top Ideal, a supply chain man- turing.

and Road Initiative.

Construction Co Ltd, which the launching of COSCO Ship-