Nansha: Pearl of the Greater Bay Area
- Brought to you by: Nansha Economic and Technological Development Zone
![[second from right] Eric Xie is the director general of the Investment and Trade Promotion Bureau of Guangzhou of Nansha Economic and Technological Development Zone and spoke on the ‘Connecting the dots in the Greater Bay Area’ panel at SCMP’s China Conference on February 21 2019.](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1200x800/public/images/methode/2019/03/08/c57d1c32-40a2-11e9-b20a-0cdc8de4a6f4_image_hires_122715.JPG?itok=7e2XMsT4&v=1552019243)
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As the opening up gateway of Guangdong Province, the district of Nansha understands the importance of creating a friendly environment for investment and trade. A recent example of this drive was business registration reform, which saw the district incorporate big data technology to launch a new Digital Government service system, meaning 60% of administrative services can be completed online. For example, business owners can now get a business licence on the same day, regardless of location. This potentially has long term, positive growth implications for the area; last year, 38,000 enterprises were established, while the total number of projects invested in by top 500 global enterprises has reached 135.
To facilitate this growth, Nansha has begun to pool global resources across several key industries; shipping logistics; international finance; international trade; sci-tech innovation; biotechnology; marine economy and high-end manufacturing industries. The area is the permanent hosting site of IFF, and also the largest cluster for aircraft and ship leasing in South China. Meanwhile, its deepwater port is also a key component, as it moves towards becoming Guangzhou’s international shipping centre. Its container terminals, auto terminals and general cargo terminals are among the largest in South China.
Located at the geographic centre of the Greater Bay Area, Nansha sits within a key junction of China’s Belt and Road Initiative; the district covers 803 km2, of which 60 km2 is a Free Trade Zone. The area benefits from several national support strategies, including the State-level New Zone, the Pilot Free Trade Zone, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area Development Strategy. With the Outline of Development Plan for the Greater Bay Area newly released, Nansha is set to further gain momentum to become a demonstration of comprehensive cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau.
By leveraging these advantages, Nansha has, so far, managed to achieve rapid economic growth. From 2014 to 2018, Nansha's total tax revenue increased from 33.7 billion yuan to 55.6 billion yuan, marking an average annual growth rate of 13.3%. The total import and export volume increased from 130.3 billion yuan to 206.4 billion yuan, with an average annual growth of 12.2%.
It’s not all business, though. The district is also endowed with ecological beauty and was the 2011 Gold winner of the United Nations International Liveable Communities Award. In terms of green credentials, Nansha’s PM2.5 is kept at 25.5μg/m³ and its forestry coverage reaches 7,749 hectares.
Premium educational and medical resources include the likes of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and a hospital affiliated with Sun Yat-sen University. Transport wise it takes about one hour by car or high-speed train to travel between Nansha and other cities in the Greater Bay Area. Though still in its infancy, Nansha’s cruise ship and yacht economies are also witnessing a boom; last year, the number of inbound and outbound cruises reached over 90, with 470,000 passengers visiting Nansha, more than 20 per cent year-on-year increase.
There is still work to do and factors to consider. Yet the flow of talent, logistics, capital and information is accelerating, with advocates stating Nansha is well on its way to becoming both the freest economy in the Greater Bay Area, and ‘the Pearl of the Bay Area, Open Hub and Future City’.