Guangzhou held a mobilization activity for accelerating the construction of AI and digital economy pilot zone on March 31st.

(File Photo of the ceremony)

Guangzhou issued the outline plan for the construction of the Guangzhou Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy Pilot Zone in February. Centered in Pazhou, the pilot zone straddles the banks of the Pearl River with a total area of 81 square kilometers.

Of the pilot zone, the Pearl River south bank innovation cluster, namely the Pazhou core area (including Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center) takes up about 48 square km; the Pearl River north bank integration development cluster (including Guangzhou international financial center) is about 8 square km and the Yuzhu area is about 25 square km.

The activity saw the online opening ceremonies of the national new demonstration base for new industry (big data) and Guangdong laboratory (Guangzhou) for AI and digital economy, live broadcasting the signing of 98 projects, opening of 44 projects and the 99 project start-ups. The total investment in the projects has exceeded 580 billion yuan.

According to Cao Dahua, executive deputy director-general of the Office of the Leading Group for the Construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and Deputy Director-General of the Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission, the acceleration of the comprehensive development of Guangzhou's Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy Pilot Zone is a specific move to coordinate COVID-19 control with economic & social development, further expanding the return work and production initiative. It is also another important measure furthering Greater Bay Area development.

Guangzhou will use the opportunities in development of the digital economy and implement the overall plan issued by the province. The Office for the Construction of the GBA will increase its support in coordination, industrial innovation and other fields.

Chen Zhiying, vice mayor of Guangzhou, said that Guangzhou will accelerate the construction of new types of infrastructure such as 5G, big data centers and the ‘industrial Internet’ as part of the pilot zone. The city will be rejuvenated with the development of new business models like online economy, digital industry.

Chen expects all academics, experts and entrepreneurs to strengthen their cooperation with Guangzhou. The city will further the reform of the business environment and provide high-quality services.

Ni Guangnan, Li Yanhong, Sergei Chizhik and other scientists and entrepreneurs from both China and overseas spoke highly of Guangzhou's prospective industrial layout and the acceleration of the development of both AI and digital economy industries.

They said that as the core city of the GBA, Guangzhou has a remarkable business environment, government services and scientific research resources. The aggregation of R&D platforms and leading enterprises put Guangzhou at the forefront.

Authors: Will, Zoey (intern)

Editors: Wing, Nan, Simon