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Innovative, bold, pioneering Zhuhai

(cityofzhuhai.com)

Updated: 2018-12-17

The open and innovative spirit of Zhuhai, demonstrated by people of all generations, has been spotlighted on the global stage since Reform & Opening-Up began in 1978. The variety of its world-level achievements attests to its versatility.

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Livable Zhuhai

Energetic start, quality achievements

Zhuhai is situated in the southwestern part of the Pearl River estuary on the South China Sea. It was established as a county in 1953, officially upgraded to a city in 1979, and designated as a special economic zone in 1980. At that time, China began opening to the world and Zhuhai eagerly undertook its mission to reform and change. The city government upholds an open-minded attitude to international practices that lead to success while also acknowledging characteristic Chinese methods.

A series of pioneering undertakings, such as the country's first processing enterprise of "Processing and Compensation Trade" and the first Chinese-foreign joint venture tourism enterprise, had their roots in Zhuhai and made the city an outstanding contributor to opening-up in China.

In just over three decades, Zhuhai has gone from underdeveloped fishing villages to a prosperous modern city. The Pearl River Delta now has one of the strongest regional economies in the world and construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is in full swing. It is predicted that the area will have become the world's largest bay in terms of GDP by 2030. Zhuhai is now an ideal investment destination renowned for modern facilities, a favorable environment, and strong policy support.

Furthermore, the good balance between the natural and human-made environment has made it a much-desirable place to live and work. With increasingly modernized and internationalized platforms for innovation, Zhuhai is becoming a high ground for change within the Greater Bay Area.

Six key manufacturing sectors in Zhuhai covering electronics and information, home appliances, power and energy, and biomedicine are all rapidly developing. Major drivers include Gree Electric Appliances of Zhuhai, the world's largest air conditioner supplier; China Aviation Industry General Aircraft (CAIGA), a leading solution provider in the general aviation industry; and By-Health, one of the most advanced producers of dietary supplements.

Bastion of the Greater Bay Area

Prosperity has emerged across its three districts and five economic zones including Hengqin New Area, which was officially established on Dec 16, 2009. Hengqin is a premier gateway to the outside and the first world-geared and Hong Kong-Macao-prioritized demonstration area in close cooperation with Guangdong. It is also China's only national new area of "One Island, Two Systems."

Updating of reforms and rules, including the easing of commercial and business registrations and customs inspections, as well as generous incentives and comprehensive services, have constantly improved Hengqin and Zhuhai's business environment. The Hengqin Free Trade Zone is now a magnet for financial and hi-tech industries and high-quality investors from around the world. In recent years it has also emerged as a pilot area for economic cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

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Hengqin Free Trade Zone

Full steam ahead on the Belt & Road

The city has made much headway in cooperating with countries along the Belt & Road Initiative. The State Council at an executive meeting in July recognized Zhuhai's strong commitment to an open economy and its rapid growth in foreign trade by naming it one of 22 new e-commerce pilot zones for upgrading foreign trade. Data show Zhuhai's import and export volume exceeded 299 billion yuan ($43 billion) in 2017, a year-by-year increase of 8.6 percent. The United States, ASEAN, and the European Union were the top three trading partners of Zhuhai that year, when Zhuhai's total transaction volume with them accounted for 37.6 percent of its total foreign trade value.

Zhuhai held the 12th China-Latin American & Caribbean Countries (China-LAC) Business Summit in November to develop further partnerships and promote China-LAC trade and investment; a sign of its dedication to increasing Sino-LAC business cooperation. On Sept 19, the 2nd 21st Century Maritime Silk Road China (Guangdong) International Communication Forum was held at the Zhuhai International Convention & Exhibition Center. The innovative image of Guangdong companies was promoted, and the Belt & Road Initiative bolstered, inspiring more extensive consensus for cooperation and better joint implementation of the initiative. Moreover, progress is being made in advancing the China-Israel Accelerator Program and creating the China-Germany Artificial Intelligence Institute.

As the permanent host city of the biennial China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition (Airshow China), Zhuhai is showing its ever-increasing prowess in the aviation industry, and especially in general aviation. A record 770 participants from 43 countries and regions, including Boeing and Airbus, signed deals worth more than $21.2 billion at the 12th airshow held from Nov 6 to 11 in Jinwan District. The city is growing in sync with China's ambition to become a global aviation power.

Aligned with Hong Kong and Macao

Zhuhai is now the only Chinese mainland city directly connected to both Hong Kong and Macao by roadways, and this presents numerous strategic developmental opportunities. The longest sea bridge in the world overcame world-class engineering difficulties to open to traffic on Oct 24, bringing top transportation services to people in the three regions. Reputed to be "the eighth wonder of the 21st century," the bridge is partly the result of painstaking efforts by the people of Zhuhai. Those efforts exemplify Zhuhai's commitment to creating better infrastructure and improving connectivity. The bridge is a showpiece of Chinese power, ambition, and innovation, and Zhuhai will implement favorable policies to further harvest its benefits as a strategic gateway serving the Greater Bay Area.

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Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge [File Photos]

The dividends of Zhuhai's healthy development have been shared among its people over the past decades. Among many other awards and titles, in 1998 Zhuhai was the first Chinese city to earn the Best Practices in Human Settlements Improvement Award from the UN Center for Human Settlements (UNCHS).

Zhuhai's historic opening up has led to favorable economic changes, and ultimately the residents of the city have reaped the benefit: according to a survey released on Nov 26 by Oriental Outlook Magazine, Zhuhai ranks among China's top ten happiest cities.

Focus

Xi's Moments
1796761356102795270 (1).jpg Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin 2 years on
1920-694.jpg 14th China Intl Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition
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