Brief Introduction to Zhuhai s Social and Economic Development (Picture: Fishery Girl- The City Symbol of Zhuhai)
Zhuhai City was established as a municipality in 1979 and became a Special Economic Zone in 1980. Zhuhai enjoys a favorable geographical location as it is situated on the south of Pearl Rival Delta in Guangdong Province, while bordering Macao in the south and being adjacent to Hong Kong in the east. Zhuhai covers a land area of 1,724 km 2, with 5,929 km 2 of sea. The population of permanent residents in Zhuhai is 1.61 million. Zhuhai is divided into three administrative districts, with five economic functional zones of Hengqin New Area, Gaolan Port Economic Zone, Hi-tech Zone, Bonded Zone and Wanshan Ocean Development Experimental Zone. Zhuhai is the second largest land port city in China. There are 147 islands of different sizes in Zhuhai, earning it the name of City of Hundred Islands. Of all the cities in Pearl River Delta, Zhuhai is the one with the largest sea coverage, largest number of islands and the longest coast line. The city maintains a leading position in air quality and other environmental indexes in China, thus it s known as one of China s Most Sustainable City and China s Most Livable City. A number of titles have been conferred on Zhuhai, including Foreigners Most Favorite Tourism City in China, and the first city in China to receive the UN Habitat Award for Best Practices in Improving the Living Environment in 1998.
Over the past years, Zhuhai has been committed to the overall social and economic development. In 2015, Zhuhai s GDP grew by 10% to 202.5 billion RMB with the fastest growth-rate in Pearl River Delta. The per capita GDP is approximately 20,000 USD. The FDI in Zhuhai amounts to 2.2 billion USD with an increase of 12.8%. The foreign trade volume was 48 billion USD. The developments of modern industries: Zhuhai is accelerating efforts in developing high-end manufacturing industries of general aviation, marine engineering and equipments, rail transit and yacht manufacturing, high-end service sectors such as modern finance, recreation and tourism, MICE and cultural creation, high and new tech industries of bio-medicine, integrated circuit and smart grid, as well as special marine economy and eco-agriculture.
From 1996 on, Zhuhai has successfully hosted 10 sessions of China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition (Airshow China). As time goes by, Airshow China has become one of the five major airshows (with the other four being Paris Airshow, Farnborough Airshow, Singapore Airshow and Moscow Airshow) in the world. Zhuhai is home to China s leading general aircraft manufacturer Avic General Aircraft. Foreign industry leaders such as the German aero engine manufacturer MTU and the Canadian flight training organisation CAE have established their China base in Zhuhai. China Aviation Industry General Aircraft industrial base is initially taking shape. The deep water marine engineering equipment project and the natural gas onshore terminal project of China National Offshore Oil Corporation with a total investment of 80 billion RMB are now in operation. Smooth progress has been made in CRRC railway project. Zhuhai has become the world s Printing Consumables City and the largest yacht manufacturing base in China. Gree Electric, with an output value reaching 140 billion RMB, is ranking the first in home air-condition sales volume in the world.
With the major tourism resources of islands, hot springs and golfing, Zhuhai attracts over 33.5 million tourists around the world each year. The Chimelong International Ocean Resort with an investment of 15 billion RMB welcomes over 10 million visits per year. The MICE and business complex of Shizimen CBD with an investment of 36 billion are now in operation. A 1200-seat opera house and an 800-seat music hall have been opened to the public. Zhuhai hosts several sport and cultural events every year, including Pan Delta Super Racing Festival in Zhuhai International Circuit, Zhuhai International Half Marathon and International Beach Music Festival. From this year on, Zhuhai will play host to the WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai for 5 years, the credit and the award of which ranking 3rd in the country, and International Mozart Competition for Young Musicians, co-hosted by Zhuhai Municipal People s Government and University Mozarteum Salzburg.
346 Hi-tech enterprises have chosen to locate in Zhuhai. The expenditure in R&D takes up 2.6% of local GDP. Zhuhai pilots the promulgation of the Regulations on Talent Development, and works with two Nobel Prize laureates in Chemistry, namely Prof. Aaron Ciechanover and Prof. Ada Yonath with the support from the Nobel Institute of Biomedicine. 20 people who live and work in Zhuhai have been included in China s 1000 Talents Program. Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai Campus National Hi-tech Zone Construction of international livable city: Zhuhai will publish the regulation to promote the eco-development construction and develop an ecological area which covers 1/6 of the total land area of the city. Zhuhai engages in the development of green public transport such as modern tramway and urban slow traffic system; the expenditure in improving people s livelihood accounts for 63.6% of the City s public fiscal budgetary expenditure. Zhuhai continues to improve public welfare, for example, Zhuhai has made medical insurance available to all. Efforts are devoted to ensure citizen s right in receiving education. Zhuhai is among the first in China to provid a 12-year compulsory education. There are 10 universities and colleges in the city, with 125,000 students enrolled. Gree College will be built by Gree Electric Appliances Inc. and Darmstadt University jointly. Massachusetts General Hospital China will be established in Hengqin New Area. Zhuhai has put in place regulations on voluntary service and aims to bring the number of volunteers to 18% of permanent population of the given district. Zhuhai also takes the lead to publish safety index and becomes one of the safest cities with the lowest crime rate.
Zhuhai Airport The developments of major transportation infrastructure facilities: Zhuhai has developed an integrated transportation system that combines airport, seaports, land ports, railways and tunnels. Guangzhou-Zhuhai railway, one that greatly benefits the manufacturing industry development and cargo logistics on the west bank of Pearl River Delta, has ensured an accessible transportation network that links Zhuhai to other parts of the Pearl River Delta metropolitan. Gaolan Port is now a 100-million-tonnage seaport and the passenger flow volume of Zhuhai Airport exceeded 4 million. The first low-altitude airline in China was launched in Zhuhai. With the completion of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Transmarine Bridge in 2017, as well as the accelerating construction of the Guangzhou-Foshan-Jiangmen intercity MRT and the western extension line of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Transmarine Bridge, Zhuhai will become the only city in China connected to Hong Kong and Macao by bridge and by land, and a transportation hub city in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao region, much tightly linked to the world. Zhuhai Railway Station
Hengqin Free Trade Zone Macao University, Hengqin Campus The developments of major platforms: Since 2009 when Hengqin New Area, a state-level strategic platform, was launched, it has become the most dynamic power engine that drives local development, marked by the average annual growth rate of 81%, 89% and 123% in fixed asset investment, local GDP and the public fiscal budgetary income, respectively. Hengqin has been approved as one of the three China (Guangdong) Free Trade Experimental Zone. Hengqin and Macao are stepping up efforts in the construction of a World Tourism and Recreation Center and a Platform for Economic and Trade Cooperation with Portuguese-Speaking Countries. Hengqin Island is the first one in China that pilots the two-tier management system for border-crossing and customs for cargos and travelers. The income tax incentives for companies divided into 72 terms within five categories are now in place. Smooth progress has been made in the 75 key projects with a total investment of 280 billion RMB. The Hengqin campus of Macao University, which is 20 times bigger than its original campus in Macao and able to accommodate 8600 students and staff, has been completed and put into operation. A number of major trading platforms including Guangdong Financial Assets Exchange Center and Nanfang Nonferrous Metal Exchange Center, together with 52 Global Fortune 500 companies and 866 financial companies, locate in Hengqin.
Based on the major hub port in south China, Gaolan Port Economic and Technology Development Zone, a state-level development zone, develops to an important hub on the 21 st Century Maritime Silk Road integrating sea, river and rail transportation. Gaolan prioritizes the development of marine heavy industries, petro-chemical industries and new energy. With 160 billion RMB in project investment, the output value of these projects will exceed 250 billion RMB. Zhuhai National High and New Technology Industrial Zone continuingly optimizes the innovation and start-up environment by boosting the cooperation among government, companies, universities and research institutes, as well as facilitating science and technology-driven and finance-driven development. Efforts are now devoted to speed up the development of major platform for innovation, such as the 2 nd phase of Tsinghua Science and Technology Park, university town and sci-tech innovative coast. Thank to the above mentioned factors, the high and new technology companies like Xiaomi and Meizu are embracing rapid development.