Briefing conference of the Vibrant China Research Tour with the theme of Guangdong in Guangzhou on June 23, 2025 (South Photo)
On June 23, the media delegation of the "Vibrant China Research Tour" embarked on their next stop—Guangdong Province—seeking to uncover the secrets of this promising high-tech innovation hub in China.
At the briefing conference in the morning, officials from provincial departments of education, industry and information technology, finance, and others detailed the achievements Guangdong has made in recent years in data.
As one of the innovation hubs in China, 17 firms in Guangdong were listed on the Fortune Global 500 list in 2024, including 9 focusing on manufacturing. The "Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou" technology cluster has ranked second in the Global Innovation Index released by the World Intellectual Property Organization for five consecutive years since 2020.
Currently, Guangdong's R&D investment has exceeded 510 billion yuan and continues to lead the country. The intensity of R&D investment has reached 3.6%. The province's regional innovation capacity has ranked first in the country for eight consecutive years.
Experts from the delegation, having heard about these achievements in China and worldwide, attempted to identify the keys to innovation in the upcoming journey.
The commentator of Leafun, a Guangzhou-based firm, introduces the products to the delegation on June 23, 2025. (South Photo)
During her remarks at the briefing conference, Zhu Min, Vice President of the China Center for Information Industry Development, highlighted a combination of leading companies in sectors such as Huawei in telecommunications and emerging enterprises, including Pony.ai in autonomous driving technology.
In this regard, she may explore how to enhance the smart features of prestigious enterprises, as well as the fusion of scientific and technological innovation with the industrial innovation of emerging firms.
Zhu emphasizes these innovations due to their technological spillovers, such as large-scale Artificial Intelligence, which represent long-term development directions for the future. During the journey, she plans to focus on the integration of robotics with industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, and medical care.
Wang Jun gives interviews after the briefing conference in Guangzhou on June 23, 2025. (South Photo)
Echoing Zhu's observation, Wang Jun, former president of Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences, also focused on AI firms in Guangdong, as AI is a foundational technology in the new era.
Wang explained to a South reporter that foundational technology is a basic strategic technology such as digitalization, which can be divided into two parts. One is industrial digitalization—where all industries must undergo digital transformation. The second part is digitalization itself, or digital industrialization. These two components underpin the common needs of developing and adapting in the new era.
According to him, AI is a foundational technology in the new era. It is a basic and strategic industry that significantly impacts the entire landscape.
All sectors need to apply such technology to advance in the new era. "For example, new energy vehicles, drones, and biomedicine—all industries need to apply AI and its integration given the new era to further develop," he added.
Yang Boru is interviewed by South after the briefing conference in Guangzhou on June 23, 2025. (South Photo)
Delving into his research on optoelectronic materials and technologies, Yang Boru, a professor at the School of Electronics and Information Technology at Sun Yat-sen University, expects more collaboration opportunities among Guangdong, the GBA, and other provinces domestically.
In his view, people will gain a better understanding of Guangdong’s current layout and prospects through the research and visit tour.
"If possible, I believe other provinces in China should leverage the platform energy of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area," he told a South reporter.
Yang then elaborated that the world operates on leverage. There are many unique advantages in Guangdong and the GBA that connect external circulation with internal circulation.
Setting the fusion of the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta as an example, he believes this exchange will become not only a unified national market but also a unified national supply chain in the future.
Reporter: Zhang Ruijun
Photo: Zhang Ruijun, Dai Bosi
Editor: Yuan Zixiang, James, Shen He
