THE Guangdong Provincial High-quality Development Conference, which brought together government officials, entrepreneurs, investors, and scientists, was held at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center in Bao’an District yesterday, the first working day after the Spring Festival holiday.

The main focus of the conference was to enhance the integrated development of industries and technologies, bolster domestic science and technology development capabilities, speed up the construction of a modern industrial system, and forge new growth momentum.

Attendees listen to a speech at the Guangdong Provincial High-quality Development Conference held at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center in Bao’an District yesterday, the first working day after the Spring Festival holiday. Lin Jianping

At the main forum, government officials from Guangdong and the province’s 21 cities, representatives from enterprises, and academic experts delivered insightful speeches.

“High-quality development is the fundamental way forward for Guangdong to achieve modernization,” Huang Kunming, secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, said at the conference.

People attending the Guangdong Provincial High-quality Development Conference in Shenzhen visit an exhibition of Shenzhen products on the sidelines of the conference at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center yesterday.

He said Guangdong has established a solid foundation and competitive advantage in industrial technology innovation. There is a strong consensus throughout the province that high-quality development is the fundamental path to modernization and that, at its core, high-quality development is driven by innovation.

People visit an exhibition featuring products that represent each city in the province on the sidelines of the Guangdong Provincial High-quality Development Conference in Shenzhen yesterday.

Meng Fanli, deputy secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and secretary of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, said Shenzhen’s economic and social development presents a prosperous and thriving outlook. The city’s goals include accelerating the construction of the industrial technology innovation center and the advanced manufacturing center with significant global influence, and cultivating a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment.

“One out of every four new energy vehicles [NEVs] sold last year was manufactured in Guangdong,” Wang Chuanfu, CEO and president of BYD, said at the conference.

Wang stated China’s NEVs have taken the lead in overcoming technological barriers, with production and sales ranking first in the world for nine consecutive years and accounting for more than 60% globally. With a resilient and competitive industrial chain, the country’s NEV industry is representative of high-quality development.

An eVTOL flying vehicle developed by Guangzhou-based new energy vehicle maker Xpeng is on display at the exhibition.

Meanwhile, biologist Yan Ning, whose name is also written as Nieng Yan in professional circles, expressed her enthusiasm for contributing to the rapid development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

“I feel excited to embark on this new career and see my dream come true over the past year,” said Yan, head of the Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, while talking about her dream to create a free environment for young talented people to unleash their potential and make original contributions.

Yan said the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (SMART) and the Shenzhen Bay Laboratory have now recruited nearly 70 outstanding individuals to lead the facilities.

“We have established a professional and international scientific research environment, aiming to free researchers from administrative tasks and encouraging them to focus on innovation,” Yan said, extending an invitation to researchers from around the world to join SMART. 

Attendees of the Guangdong Provincial High-quality Development Conference visit the exhibition of various cities in the province on the sidelines of the conference yesterday.

Editor/Li Jing

WeChat Editor/Claudia