DONGGUAN RISES AS A SCIENCE AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING HUB
The central city of the GBA has embarked on a path of new industrialisation and seized opportunities in emerging fields,
Dongguan has achieved remarkable results through its participation in the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) in the past five years. It has reached a new milestone with a regional GDP of 1 trillion yuan and a population of over 10 million. Songshan Lake Science City has made strides towards becoming a globally influential scientific hub, and it has become part of the development area of the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone, with the Binhaiwan New Area on the path to high-level opening-up. Under the framework of the Five Major Industrial Development Projects, the GBA has witnessed Dongguan’s rise as a leading manufacturing hub.
Dongguan has adhered to the principle of providing what the GBA needs, with emphasis on technological innovation and advanced manufacturing. It has made every effort to obtain more national policy support and to implement national projects to vigorously promote the construction of the GBA.
GBA’S EPITOME OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION
The China Spallation Neutron Source in Dongguan is the first domestically developed neutron engineering material spectrometer based on time-offlight technology. It has already achieved a plethora of significant accomplishments in the domains of new energy, magnetic quantum materials, aerospace and more, and will contribute to technological advancements in the field of materials and equipment manufacture in China.
Since its establishment in 2018, the facility has attracted a substantial user base of over 5,000 registered individuals and facilitated the completion of more than 1,000 research projects. It is noteworthy that around one-third of these projects have originated from the GBA, with users from Hong Kong and Macau constituting around 10 per cent of the total user base.
The symbiotic development of technology and industry is fostering scientific and technological innovation on numerous platforms.
At the end of last year, Dongguan TGT Target Material Technology Co., Ltd. settled in Dalang. The company, incubated by the team from Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, has focused on the promotion of the localisation of high-end target materials and is expected to achieve an annual output value of nearly 300 million yuan.
One of the first four provincial laboratories in Guangdong province, Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory recently unveiled the Attosecond Science Centre, a development that will enhance China’s competitiveness in the field of ultra-fast science.
AIMING FOR A HIGHER LEVEL OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING
As the central city and crucial economic engine of the GBA, Dongguan has actively pursued a path of new industrialisation to construct a robust advanced manufacturing powerhouse, marked by high-quality development.
In the realm of traditional industries, Dongguan has propelled the transformation of sectors, such as textiles and apparel, towards high-end, intelligent and eco-friendly directions. Dongguan has also seized opportunities in emerging fields like next-generation electronics and information technology, high-end equipment manufacturing, semiconductors and integrated circuits.
Additionally, industries and talent from Shenzhen are rapidly flowing into Dongguan, and have led to the continuous extension and integration of the production chain between the two cities. This collaboration has fostered a cultivation of competitive industry clusters, such as next-generation electronics, intelligent equipment, and more.
SHARING A LIVEABLE AND BUSINESS-FRIENDLY HOME
Over the past five years, the growth of the GBA has witnessed the accelerated interconnectivity of infrastructure. The high-speed railway from Changping Station to West Kowloon Station in
Hong Kong has officially commenced operations, the inaugural voyage of a new water passenger route from Humen to the China Hong Kong City FerryTerminal has taken place, and work has progressed on the Pearl River Estuary Tunnel of the Shenzhen-Jiangmen high-speed railway.
A number of other projects have also prospered, and are poised to attract industries such as productive services and creative urban complexes. The first section (education and living areas) of the GBA University (Songshan Lake Campus) has been delivered for use, and the first phase of City University of Hong Kong (Dongguan) has commenced operations.
The integration of physical infrastructure has facilitated regulatory cooperation and brought about a harmonious people-to-people connection.
In April 2023, the Dongguan-Hong Kong International Airport Logistics Park launched the world’s first cross-border sea-air intermodal project. The project relocated core functions, such as cargo consolidation, from Hong Kong Airport Cargo Terminals to the Dongguan Humen Port Comprehensive Bonded Zone. “The project also expedited the completion of customs clearance and transport of goods to Hong Kong International Airport in less than a day and reduced overall costs by 30 per cent,” said Liu Lang, customs manager of Dongguan Zhongjun Trading Co., Ltd.
To harmonise public sentiment and benefit businesses are the main themes of cooperation between Dongguan and Hong Kong. The Hong Kong dragon boat team competed in the GBA Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament, while Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau athletes vied in the GBA Urban Cycling Challenge. The business communities of Dongguan and Hong Kong gathered at the 2024 GBA iForum and Banquet. The inaugural HK Create Carnival has measurably bolstered market expansion for Hong Kong enterprises.
With Dongguan and Hong Kong united in purpose, the future will unleash even greater multiplier effects and inject new dynamism into the integrated development of the Greater Bay Area.