Shenzhen tops the national innovative cities in 2021, followed by Guangzhou (3rd), Dongguan (19th), and Foshan (33rd).
That's according to the 2021 evaluation report on the innovation capacity of national innovative cities released by the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (ISTIC) of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
The report analyzed 72 cities across China based on 5 dimensions, including innovative governance capability, original innovation capability, technical innovation capability, achievement transformation capability, and innovation driving force.
Among the listed 4 Guangdong cities, Shenzhen defends its top rank, while Dongguan up by 3 places from the previous year.
Shenzhen
Known as China’s high-tech hub, Shenzhen has been listed as the most innovative city in China for three years in a row.
Last June, the Shenzhen Municipal Development and Reform Commission adopted the Shenzhen 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Outline Plan of the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035.
Shenzhen, the blueprint said, aims to become a modern and international city of innovators by 2025, serving as a major engine for the sci-tech innovation center in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area
[Photo: Nanfang Daily]
Guangzhou
The innovation capacity index of Guangzhou reached 78.02, taking 3rdspot in all evaluation indexes. The city excels in terms of innovation driving force and achievement transformation capability, outcompeting other 69 innovative cities, while ranked at the 4thplace in innovative governance capability, original innovation capability, and technical innovation capability.
Based on the 2019 data, the report said the proportion of fixed asset investment in local GDP has been on a downward trend in Guangzhou, with an average ratio of 28.3% over the last three years. However, the ratio of public assets in GDP is increasing steadily, which shows Guangzhou has shifted from investment-driven development to innovation-driven development and enjoys a sound momentum of high-quality development.
[Photo: Nanfang Daily]
Dongguan
Often known as the “factory to the world”, Dongguan is situated right at the center of the urban agglomeration of the Pearl River Delta region.
It is also at the center of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Technology Innovation Corridor, the most important economic belt in the GBA that connects Guangzhou, Dongguan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong to accumulate the best innovation resources from the four cities.
The Songshan Lake Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, where Huawei has built a smart manufacturing hub, serves as a new engine to drive Dongguan’s high-tech economic transition and innovative capacity.
[Photo: Nanfang Plus]
Foshan
With a population of around 9 million, Foshan is one of the biggest cities in the Greater Bay Area and a part of the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone.
In 2018, Foshan was approved to build as a national innovation city and accelerate innovation development in technology fields.
[Photo: Nanfang Daily]
After three years of efforts, investment of innovation and the proportion of R&D in the regional GDP have grown substantially, with the number of national high-tech enterprises up from 1388 to 7100.
In 2021, the work of building a national innovative city has gained approval and the total estimated R&D expenditure represented 2.91% of local GDP. This figure will increase to about 3% in 2022.
Author | Fanny
Editor| Wing, Olivia, Jerry