Since the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan, Shaoguan, a city in northern Guangdong Province, has seen its economic scale successively surpass the 150 billion yuan and 160 billion yuan thresholds, as announced on December 19 at a press conference on Guangdong's achievements during the 14th Five-Year Plan period with the theme on Shaoguan.
In 2024, the per capita GDP and per capita disposable income of Shaoguan residents have remained at the forefront of northern Guangdong.
The High-quality Development Project for Guangdong’s Counties, Towns, and Villages is reshaping Shaoguan’s urban and rural landscapes. Industry is concentrating in counties, public services are extending to the grassroots, and resources are flowing towards rural areas—encapsulating the project's impact in Shaoguan.
Ten counties (county-level cities and districts) have developed pillar industries based on local conditions, increasing the aggregate county-level economy by nearly 30% compared to the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period. Renovation of old residential communities and comprehensive land improvement are progressing simultaneously, making towns more livable and villages more vibrant.
The focus on developing local specialties is intensifying. With 23 provincial-level modern agricultural industrial parks, 121 nationally recognized distinctive and high-quality new agricultural products, and 217 "Guangdong Brand" products, Shaoguan's agriculture is transitioning from selling raw materials to cultivating brands. The urban-rural income gap continues to narrow.
As a major producer of edible fungi for Guangdong Province and the GBA, Shaoguan showcased mushroom varieties at the press conference.
Liu Shidong, Director of the Shaoguan Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, noted that Shaoguan's output of varieties such as white beech mushrooms and hon-shimeji accounts for 70% of the province's supply. Currently, 150 tons are supplied daily to the GBA, making it one of Shaoguan's largest industries. To further enhance the value and benefits of various mushrooms, diverse mushroom-based products are also being developed.
Director Liu further explained that Shaoguan supplies 60% of the domestic orchid market. The region's landscape results in orchids with more vibrant blooms and glossier leaves, thereby increasing their value. Leveraging e-commerce, Shaoguan is bringing these elegant orchids into countless households, allowing more people to appreciate their beauty.
New growth sectors offer even greater potential. The national hub node data center cluster for the integrated computing power network in the GBA is located in Shaoguan, which has already established the largest intelligent computing power agglomeration area in South China, providing a solid foundation for Guangdong's AI and digital economy development. Since the 14th Five-Year Plan began, the number of high-tech enterprises has increased by nearly 50%, with new quality productive forces emerging rapidly.
Institutional innovations have also translated into market confidence. Over the past five years, the number of market entities in the city has increased by 54,000, a growth of 28.4%, indicating the city's continuously expanding vitality.
Reporter | Guo Chuhua
Photo | Guo Chuhua, Nanfang Plus
Editor | Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He
