This year marks the third anniversary of the release of the Guangzhou Nansha Comprehensive Cooperation Plan for Deepening Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Collaboration Facing the World (referred to as the Nansha Plan), as well as the completion of its first-phase objectives. On August 4, the Guangzhou Nansha White Paper on Deepening Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Comprehensive Cooperation Facing the World (2022.06-2025.06) (referred to as the White Paper) was publicly released for the first time, systematically summarizing the achievements of Nansha’s development and construction.
According to the White Paper, Nansha’s GDP reached 230.13 billion yuan in 2024, with a year-on-year growth of 4.5% in the first half of 2025. Over the past three years, Nansha’s permanent population has increased by 83,500, while the number of high-tech enterprises has grown at an average annual rate of 21.5%, exceeding 1,300. The added value of strategic emerging industries now accounts for 37.8% of GDP, and R&D investment intensity has risen to 5.48%.
Positioned at the “geometric center” of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Nansha’s role is defined as “rooted in the Bay Area, collaborating with Hong Kong and Macao, and facing the world.” As a strategic pivot for Guangzhou’s future development, it serves as a key gateway for China’s opening-up and a pilot zone for institutional innovation. Three years after the release of the Nansha Plan, Nansha’s national strategic momentum has accelerated, transforming its geographical advantages into strengths in reform, innovation, strategic emerging industries, and the gathering of international high-end talent.
292 Investment Projects from Fortune Global 500 Companies
Three years ago, the Nansha Plan proposed establishing Nansha as a major strategic platform for the Bay Area, Hong Kong, and Macao, with a global outlook.
The plan outlined five key tasks: building a sci-tech innovation and industrial cooperation base, creating a youth entrepreneurship and employment platform, establishing a high-level open gateway, developing a rule-connectivity mechanism, and setting a benchmark for high-quality urban development.
As a key part of the Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone, Nansha has deepened reforms in its business environment, implementing 181 innovative measures promoted at the national and provincial levels. It pioneered market access reforms, reducing approval times by 93.6%, and ranked first in legalized business environment evaluations among China’s free trade zones for two consecutive years.
Institutional innovations include adopting a commercial registration confirmation system and implementing 33 pilot measures aligning with international trade rules. Policies such as the “144-hour visa-free transit” and “15-day visa-free entry for cruise passengers” have further enhanced convenience.
To optimize the business environment, Nansha established China’s first “certificate-free free trade zone,” eliminated foreign investment restrictions in manufacturing, and implemented a cross-border service trade negative list.
These improvements have attracted more foreign investment, with Nansha securing 29.7 billion yuan in actual utilized foreign capital in 2024. Currently, 292 projects from Fortune Global 500 companies are operational. Additionally, 49 investment-intent projects worth 56.03 billion yuan were secured through overseas promotion efforts.
As a critical intersection of domestic and international markets, Nansha has leveraged its unique advantages to deepen economic cooperation with Hong Kong and Macao, accelerating its development as a high-level open gateway.
Over the past three years, residents of Hong Kong and Macao have benefited from enhanced cross-border public services in healthcare, education, and social security. For instance, Nansha introduced a “cross-border processing” model for social security services, increasing the number of Hong Kong and Macao participants by 18% annually. It also introduced Hong Kong-style “general outpatient clinics” and “health service centers for Hong Kong and Macao residents.” Educational ties have strengthened, with 52 sister-school partnerships formed and the number of Hong Kong and Macao students nearly doubling.
Moving forward, efforts will focus on implementing the Nansha Plan, refining policy support systems, and accelerating development in three key zones: Nansha Bay, Qingsheng Hub, and Nansha Hub. The “Bay Area Connectivity” project will further integrate Nansha into the Greater Bay Area’s development.
Sci-Tech Innovation Drives New Momentum
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