On August 26, coinciding with the 45th anniversary of the establishment of the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone, a « Theoretical Symposium on the 45th Anniversary of the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone » was held simultaneously.

Zhuhai appears to be using a high-profile « birthday celebration » to showcase its ambitions to the outside world, clarifying the path for the next phase of industrial breakthroughs and urban development. Experts at the symposium actively offered suggestions on how to make the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone « better and of a higher standard, » generally viewing industrial upgrading and regional cooperation as key priorities for Zhuhai’s future development.

Experts from various fields such as macroeconomics, private economy, technological innovation, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao cooperation, urban construction, and cultural development gathered to discuss key focuses and development strategies for Zhuhai.

One expert stated that Zhuhai must shoulder the new mission entrusted by the new era, transforming its geographical advantage of connecting Hong Kong, Macao, and the mainland into a gateway function for domestic and international dual circulation. It should also convert its comprehensive advantages in ecological environment, industrial foundation, and openness into functions as nodes in domestic and international innovation networks, and turn its early advantages in urban governance into new efficiencies in modern urban construction, striving to build a model city for Chinese-style modernization.

New Industrial Tracks

Zhuhai has been committed to promoting the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation. In recent years, it has targeted new industrial trends such as artificial intelligence, low-altitude economy, and marine economy, accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system.

Compared to other cities in the Greater Bay Area, Zhuhai’s industrial structure is « newer, » « lighter, » and « stronger, » with less historical baggage, allowing it to move forward unburdened. Though not large in scale, it is robust and resilient, well-suited to adapt to current technological innovations and industrial changes. Zhuhai has the conditions and foundation to seize this wave of industrial development and move toward new tracks of productive forces.

Currently, the雏形 of the « Cloud Smart City » is taking shape, attracting and nurturing over 40 large-scale artificial intelligence model enterprises, with a core AI industry output value exceeding 20 billion yuan. The « Sky City » is accelerating its formation, gathering representative enterprises such as AVIC General Aircraft, Aerospace Yu Micro, and Southern Airlines General Aviation, promoting the introduction of regulations for low-altitude traffic construction management, and launching the nation’s first low-altitude airspace coordination and operation service platform. The « New Maritime Special Zone » is poised for action, systematically deploying « new maritime infrastructure » projects, planning a « 4+3+1 » modern marine industry system, and accelerating the construction of key projects such as the National Marine Comprehensive Test Field (Zhuhai) and modern marine ranches.

It was suggested that Zhuhai should seize the major opportunities presented by the new round of technological revolution, promoting the accelerated development of three new industrial tracks: artificial intelligence, humanoid robots, and the low-altitude economy.

Another expert stated that in the future, Zhuhai needs to « forge new paths, promote integration, and broaden horizons, » continuously shaping new competitiveness by exploring industrial « new blue oceans, » improving the « full chain » of成果转化, and deepening the « big picture » of collaborative openness.

Zhuhai is cultivating new productive forces through new tracks, forming new spaces for industrial upgrading. Many experts offered suggestions regarding industrial support.

It was proposed that Zhuhai should promote industrial agglomeration, creating cultural industry parks and bases such as film and television production parks, animation and gaming industry bases, and cultural creative districts, to foster the clustered development of cultural enterprises and form industrial cluster effects. At the same time, it should improve park infrastructure construction and健全public service platforms, creating a favorable development environment for enterprises.

It was also suggested that resources should be aggregated, leveraging the trend of technological and industrial resources flowing back to central urban areas, and strengthening and refining the urban core area composed of the High-tech Zone, Xiangzhou urban area, and the western central area, based on区位conditions. Additionally, the application and promotion of various new scenarios should be accelerated, creating a core area of the Pearl River West Science City with distinct High-tech Zone characteristics.

Zhuhai’s Role in the Region

Zhuhai is not only shaping development momentum through new industrial tracks but also expanding strategic space through regional linkage. In the regional development landscape, Zhuhai’s role is being重新 »examined. »

In the overall context of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area construction, Zhuhai shoulders the important mission of being a bridgehead and

Zhuhai Special Economic Zone

Zhuhai is one of the first Special Economic Zones (SEZs) established by China in 1980 to attract foreign investment and experiment with market-oriented economic reforms. It transformed from a small fishing town into a modern, affluent city and a major tourist destination, known for its clean environment and proximity to Macau.

Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is a major national development strategy launched by China in 2017 to integrate 11 cities, including Hong Kong, Macao, and nine in Guangdong province, into a globally influential innovation and economic hub. Historically, the Pearl River Delta has long been a vital trading region, and this initiative builds upon that legacy by leveraging the unique advantages of its financial, technological, and manufacturing centers. It aims to enhance connectivity and cooperation to rival other world-class bay areas like those of Tokyo and San Francisco.

Cloud Smart City

« Cloud Smart City » is not a specific historical or cultural site, but a modern urban development concept that integrates technology like IoT, AI, and big data to manage a city’s assets and services efficiently. It represents a forward-looking model for sustainable and intelligent urban living, with its « history » being a very recent evolution within 21st-century digital and smart city initiatives.

Sky City

Sky City, also known as Old Oraibi, is a Hopi pueblo located atop a mesa in Arizona and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in North America, dating back to around 1100 AD. It remains a significant cultural and spiritual center for the Hopi people, who have preserved their traditional way of life and ceremonies for centuries.

New Maritime Special Zone

I am not familiar with a specific cultural or historical site known as the « New Maritime Special Zone. » This term is not widely recognized as a major landmark or UNESCO-type site, and it may refer to a modern economic development area in a specific country rather than a place of historical significance. Without more specific context about its location, I cannot provide a historical summary.

National Marine Comprehensive Test Field (Zhuhai)

The National Marine Comprehensive Test Field is a major marine research and testing facility in Zhuhai, established to support China’s maritime technology and economic development. It serves as a hub for oceanographic research, equipment testing, and the development of marine resources.

Pearl River West Science City

Pearl River West Science City is a major innovation hub in Guangzhou, China, developed as a strategic initiative to advance scientific research and technological development. Its history is recent, having been formally established in the 21st century to concentrate high-tech industries, academic institutions, and research facilities in the region.

High-tech Zone

The High-tech Zone is a modern urban development model originating in the late 20th century, designed to concentrate technology companies, research institutions, and innovative startups. These zones, often established with government support, aim to foster economic growth through technological advancement and have become common in countries like China, the United States, and India.