Page 82 - 2023 Special Report on the State of Business in South China

International Logistics Center was completed and
put into operation in 2021. The port's container
throughput reached 17.66 million twenty-foot
equivalent units (TEUs), its cargo throughput was
355 million metric tons, and 21 new foreign trade
routes were opened16.
In the 14th Five-Year Plan, the Nansha area will
focus on:
1. Continuously enhance the role of
international shipping and trade hubs
2. Deepen the integration and development
of strategic emerging industries and modern
service industries
3. Support on building a national science
center, a special zone for international talent,
a demonstration zone for global trade and a
cooperation zone for the GBA
4. An opening-up gateway to the world17
In January 2022, Nansha launched a pilot project
of high-level opening-up of cross-border trade and
investment. By the end of July, 2,359 pilot businesses a mature regional innovation and industrial
had been handled by various market entities, with
a transaction amount of US5.1 billion18.
In June 2022, the Overall Plan for Guangzhou
Nansha to Deepen Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau
Comprehensive Cooperation (“Nansha Plan”)19
with a global perspective was also released, which
is a highly ambitious blueprint for consolidating
Hong Kong, Macau and cities on the mainland into
the GBA.
Five key development directions in the Nansha Plan: of Shenzhen were officially established. Qianhai
1) Speeding up the establishment of a
technology innovation industry co-operation base
16 Nansha by China Daily, http://subsites.
chinadaily.com.cn/guangzhou/nansha/2021-
08/25/c_284669.htm
17 Government site of Guangdong, http://www.
gd.gov.cn/zwgk/wjk/qbwj/yfb/content/post_3533834.
html
18 Chinanews, https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=
1741485775007816743&wfr=spider&for=pc
19 The State Council, http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/
zhengceku/2022-06/14/content_5695623.htm
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2) Creating a youth entrepreneurship and
employment co-operation platform
3) Jointly developing a high-standard gateway
for opening-up to the world
4) Becoming a center of excellence for
facilitating the alignment of rules and regulations
5) Setting up high-quality urban development
benchmarks for developing Nansha as the
powerhouse promoting Hong Kong and Macau’s
integration with the country’s development
The Nansha Plan has also drawn up phased
goals for the Nansha development. The year 2025
will see the initial formation of a local innovation
and industrial transfer system and a business
environment that operates as an international
market following the rule of law, while a green
intelligent energy-saving and low-carbon operation
model will be implemented. Coupled with the
optimization of its education, health care and other
public resources, Nansha aims to become the new
preferred home and workplace for young people in
Hong Kong and Macau. The next goal is to establish
transfer system and first-class international
business environment by 2035, which will allow
Nansha to play a leading role in supporting the
GBA’s participation in international co-operation
and competition while serving as an important
platform for comprehensive co-operation between
Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau.
Qianhai and Shekou Areas of Shenzhen
On 27 April 2015, the Qianhai and Shekou areas
and Shekou’s total area is 28.2km2, of which 15km2
(including 3.7km2 of the Qianhai Bay Bonded Port
Area) are occupied by Qianhai District and 13.2km2
are occupied by Shekou District.
The Qianhai and Shekou areas contain three
functional zones, with different industrial forms
emphasize different aspects:
- The Qianhai Financial Business Zone: Mainly
undertakes the function of trade in services by: (i)
prioritizing finance, information services, scientific