The Guangzhou Municipal Government recently held a press conference to announce the official implementation of the Decisions on Promoting Independent Innovation and Hi-tech Development as the #1 document of 2008. According to the decisions, Guangzhou would invest RMB1 billion annually in the following three years to speed up independent innovation and Hi-tech development.

The goals set by the Municipal Government are to develop Guangzhou into China's first innovation-oriented city and a leading base of the Hi-tech industry as well as an export base of Hi-tech products. A group of large enterprises boasting international competitive advantages and independent intellectual property rights would be developed. By 2010, Guangzhou would boast ten thousand patented technologies and products. Advancement of science and technology would attribute over 55% of economic growth. Hi-tech products and technologies would bring in over RMB400 billion, over 33% of the total industrial output.

In terms of the decisions, an overall plan would be formulated. As a result, there will be one core area for electronic information and bio-industry that includes the Guangzhou Science City, Tianhe Software Park, Guangzhou International Bio-island and three districts: one in the downtown of Guangzhou where there is a collection of enterprises engaged in the information service industry, one in the south of Guangzhou where there is a collection of Hi-tech enterprises engaged in business concerning sea transportation and one in the north of Guangzhou where there is a collection of enterprises engaged in air transportation and logistics. In addition, there will be various zones developing from State-level, provincial and municipal Hi-tech industry bases.

Editor: Yan