On August 4, a White Paper was released to mark the third anniversary of the implementation of the Nansha Plan, summarizing the latest achievements in the Nansha District, Guangzhou, one of the four major cooperation platforms in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and an important window for China's opening-up. In 2024, the regional GDP reached 230.13 billion yuan, with a year-on-year growth of 4.5% in the first half of 2025.
As of now, 1,300 high-tech enterprises are based in Nansha, with an average annual growth rate of 21.5%. The added value of strategic emerging industries accounts for 37.8% of GDP, while advanced manufacturing contributes 75.9% of the output among large-scale industrial enterprises.
As a high-level opening-up gateway of the GBA, Nansha has utilized 33.6 billion yuan in actual foreign investment since 2022. In the first half of 2025, its total foreign trade reached 147.93 billion yuan, up 17.5% year-on-year.
Nansha Port has seen steady development. In 2024, it handled 20.49 million TEUs of containers. A total of 174 international container shipping routes were launched, with more than 85% serving the countries and regions of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The Nansha Comprehensive Bonded Zone ranked first in China for cross-border e-commerce import and export volume last year.
The number of international high-level talents introduced in Nansha has grown by 55% annually. Policies to support innovation and entrepreneurship among Hong Kong and Macao youth have also been introduced, with over 32 million yuan in subsidies benefiting 1,170 individuals.
The business environment continues to improve. Nansha has shortened the market access approval period by 93.6%, and its business environment has ranked first among all national pilot free trade zones for two consecutive years.
Nansha District, located at the southernmost tip of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, is at the estuary of the Pearl River and the geometric center of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). It is hailed as the "Heart of the GBA."
The Nansha Plan was officially issued by the State Council in June 2022, emphasizing the cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, and connecting the world. The plan outlined development goals for two phases: by 2025 and by 2035.
Reporter | Dai Bosi
Photo | Nanfang Plus
Editor | Hu Nan, James, Shen He
