Nansha Port. (Photo by Southcn.com)
Throughout the forty years of Reform and Opening Up, Guangzhou has always been at the frontier of development and trade, growing into one of the most dynamic city in China and an economical giant. This has much to do with its relentless efforts toward innovation and a better business environment.
As the last stop of the media tour to Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the delegation visited Nansha District, an part of Guangdong Free Trade Zone and witnessed the recent development in the new area.
Text by Nan & Eric
Edited by Wing
Picking up the pace for business
Nansha Government Affairs Service Center. (Photo by Southcn.com)
“How fast it is to get the permission within one working day! I just finished my online appointment yesterday!” said Mr. Zhu in the Government Affairs Service Center of Nansha District, Guangzhou. He came here for his business registration procedures.
Nansha Government is striving for optimizing its business environment by simplifying registration procedures, allowing people to start their business in a shorter time. Tailoring to innovation enterprises, more preferential policies are introduced. Now it only takes one day to apply for the business license and three days to open an official bank account. With shorter time and less materials to fill in, companies are sure to benefit tremendously.
Meanwhile, automatic self-service machines are applied. This is a new convenience for individuals and enterprises, besides existing channels such as online, mobile and offline service center. Via this kind of machines citizens can process affairs in Guangzhou, Foshan, Jiangmen and Dongguan, and will be trailed in the other five cities in the Greater Bay Area. The service is to be linked with Hong Kong and Macao in the future to realize an all-day service across the entire Area, according to Li Ao, a staff from the Administrative Management Office of Government of Nansha.
In recent years, Guangzhou has been dedicated to building the most attractive environment for business in China, and has seen fruitful results from the innovation in governmental service. As the registration and approval process shortens and efficiency increases, Guangzhou is demonstrating its determination. As a result, it celebrates a 45.8% increase in the amount of new business registration to 207 thousand enterprises, and 109 investment projects from the world's top 500 enterprises. Thanks to an increasingly alluring business environment, Guangzhou is gaining momentum.
Regulating E-commerce in a brand-new way
Containers in Nansha Port. (Photo by Southcn.com)
Owing to a more convenient, international, institutionalized and market-open environment for business and trade, Nansha Area of Guangdong Free Trade Zone (GDFTZ) is enjoying a global trade boom.
In 2017, it recorded a total amount of 195 billion Yuan in import and export, a 15.2% growth, and a container throughput of 13.95 million TEU, 10.5% higher than the previous figure. Over the years, major E-commerce enterprises have locate their cross-border electronic business in Nansha, such as JD.COM, JUMEI, VIPs, DangDang.com, and TMall International.
“Nansha has three advantages,” explains Song Xiaoming, vice general manager of Guangzhou Port Group. “First, Nansha enjoys a geographical advantage of locating in the middle of the Pearl River Delta. Second, Nansha has introduced an innovative mode of supervision, ensuring a fast and high-quality development for cross-border E-commerce. Third, Nansha owns plentiful ship routes covering domestic and international markets.”
Nansha is currently intensifying cooperation and trade with countries along the Belt and Road. To further carry out the Belt and Road Initiative, The free trade zone are lavishing cooperation memos with international partners such as Shannon FTA in Ireland, Dubai Airport FTA Management, ASEAN SME Economic and Trade Commission, and Inchon Bay, while constructing domestic strategic partnership with Xixian New Area, Guian New Area, and Sichuan FTA (Nanlin port).
AI innovation
A reporter experienced the latest AI technology. (Photo by Southcn.com)
High technology is gaining insurmountable importance in Guangzhou’s development strategy. These years, the city is centering its growth on high-tech enterprises, as it provides a better environment for technological business.
Efforts are focused on a new generation of Information and Communication Technology, AI, bio-medicine, new energy and new materials, regarded with “strategic importance”. Up to 20,000 of global enterprises in these fields have settled down in Guangzhou, including 297 on world’s top 500 list. The technological innovative enterprises in Guangzhou total 169,000, and high-tech ones make up 8690.
Nansha-based Yuncong Technology is a rising power in the field of AI. Built in 2015, Yuncong specializes in computer visuals and AI, and is the biggest supplier of AI products in over 400 bank throughout China. With its help, the police has arrested 2605 suspects by March, 2018. 54 airliners turn to Yuncong for their service.
Ye Han, vice general manager, introduced that this March his company signed a framework agreement on strategic partnership with Zimbabwe to carry out the first AI project of China in Africa, aiming to pave the way for exporting AI technology to Africa.
广州厚植创新发展土壤 打造最具吸引力的营商环境
南方网讯(记者 邓德崇)当创新与科技、服务相结合，会迸发怎样的火花?作为改革开放的前沿城市、对外贸易的窗口，广州是中国经济最活跃的城市之一，综合经济实力居于全国城市前列。广州为何能够交出亮眼成绩单？这和广州不断优化营商环境和积极发展创新是密不可分的。“新时代·新平台·新机遇”——“一带一路”走进粤港澳大湾区网络主题采访活动今天(8月24日)来到广州，探访广州在商事改革及科技创新方面的新实践。
以改善营商环境为引擎 活力之都跑出发展“加速度”
“昨天在网上预约，今天就能办理，而且一个工作日就能拿到执照，真的是太快了!”前来广州南沙政务服务中心办理商事登记手续的朱先生兴奋地对记者说。
进入大厅，记者便看到了一排12个“一口受理”的窗口。记者了解到，当前南沙将“商事登记、刻章备案、银行开户”3个程序整合成1个，同时实行创新企业注册“一口受理”模式，实现了多个部门的“二十证六章”联办，通过注册1天内完成办理营业执照、3天内完成银行基本户开户和刻章备案，大幅度压减了企业注册办理的时限，精简了申请材料，更优化了审批作业流程，让更多企业获得更多实惠。
记者还在政务服务大厅看到了一台“市民之窗”政务服务自助终端，这是除网上办事大厅、实体政务大厅、移动端外的一种新的便民利企的服务渠道。广州市南沙区人民政府政务管理办公室审批管理科科员李鳌告诉记者：“市民之窗”目前已经实现了广州、佛山、江门、东莞四个城市的“跨城通办”的业务，并且在粤港澳大湾区的其余五个城市已经建立了试点，未来还将与香港、澳门进行对接，真正实现粤港澳大湾区内部城市全天候、全通办的政务服务。
近年来，广州着力打造全国最具吸引力的营商环境，在服务机制创新方面成果显著，商事登记“今天约、明天办、后天取”，所有登记审批全流程大大缩短，审批时效不断提速。在“广州速度”“广州效率”的背后，是机制创新的“广州魄力”。数据显示，2017年广州新登记企业20.7万户，同比增长45.8%;新增世界500强企业投资项目109个。借助不断提升的营商环境，广州得以迅速地培育和吸聚经济新动能。
以创新监管模式为推手 外贸枢纽化身电商“香饽饽”
得益于贸易便利化改革和不断打造国际化、法治化、市场化的营商环境，南沙自贸区外贸迅猛发展。2017年，广州南沙外贸进出口1951.7亿元，增长15.2%;南沙港则实现集装箱吞吐量1395万标箱，同比增长10.5%。
近年来，京东、聚美优品、唯品会、当当网、天猫国际等一批大型电商企业跨境电商业务相继落户南沙。为什么选择南沙?广州港集团股份有限公司党委书记、副总经理宋小明告诉记者：“南沙在三个方面有着明显的优势，一是南沙处在珠三角的中间位置，地理位置绝佳;二是南沙通过创新监管模式，保证了跨境电商快速、高质量地发展;三是整个南沙港区有大量内外贸航线，既可以服务国内贸易市场，也能够服务国际贸易市场。”
记者了解到，南沙创新跨境电商出口监管模式，通过设立南沙跨境电商出口监管中心，借助跨境电商出口综合服务平台统一监管，形成监管合力。同时，南沙构建跨境电商出口企业和商品备案系统及特殊区域物流监管系统，下放备案审批权限，缩短了跨境电商出口企业商品备案时间，实行跨境电商电子申报，提高申报效率。
当前，南沙正在加强与“一带一路”沿线国家和地区的国际合作与经贸往来。据悉，南沙与爱尔兰香农自贸区、迪拜机场自贸区管理局、东盟中小企业经济贸易委员会、韩国仁川港湾公社、新加坡制造商总等机构和商会签订合作备忘录，与国内西咸新区、贵安新区、四川自贸区川南临港片区建立战略合作关系，建设“一带一路”协同发展的战略支点，不断强化与“一带一路”沿线国家、地区的国际合作和经贸往来。
以优化科创环境为助力 翻开人工智能发展新篇章
近年来，广州紧紧扭住高新技术企业这一“牛鼻子”，不断优化企业创新发展环境，加大力度培育高新技术企业，发展新技术、新产业、新业态、新模式，重点在新一代信息技术、人工智能和生物医药、新能源、新材料等为代表的战略新兴产业技术领域进行提前布局。目前，已有两万多家全球企业在广州投资兴业，其中包括297家世界500强企业。广州全市科技创新企业总数突破16.9万家，高新技术企业总数达到8690家。模式创新、业态创新的科技企业在广州不断涌现。
位于南沙的云从科技，便是广州打造人工智能产业过程中不容忽视的一股新兴力量。记者刚一踏入这家企业，就被这里的“科技范儿”所震撼：随处可见的人脸识别机器，可一键掌握的人像数据信息，介绍着人工智能在安防领域实际运用的可视化屏幕。在人脸识别技术体验区内，多项应用都可以在这里找到，比如银行的刷脸自助服务、机场的自助登机服务、安防方面对犯罪嫌疑人追捕等。广州云从人工智能技术有限公司副总经理叶晗为记者介绍：“这些人工智能科技产品正在渗透到我们生活的方方面面，专注于解决现实生活中的实际问题。”
成立于2015年的云从科技是一家专注于计算机视觉与人工智能的高科技企业。目前，云从科技是中国银行业第一大AI供应商，全国400多家银行已经采用云从的科技产品;在安防领域，截至2018年3月，已经协助各地警方抓获2605名嫌疑人;在民航领域也已有54家机场选择云从的产品。
叶晗介绍，今年三月，云从科技与津巴布韦政府举行了战略合作框架协议的签约仪式，这次合作是中国人工智能在非洲的首个项目，将推动“一带一路”框架下中非经济的绿色发展，为人工智能的出口做出尝试。
据悉，未来，云从将联合全球人工智能领域的高端人才团队和企业，致力于在南沙打造一个系统高效、全球领先的AI产业全链条服务体系，集聚千亿级人工智能产业，打造全国领先的人工智能城市典范。
