A high-level "science-centered" conference was held lately in Nansha District, 
Guangzhou, aiming to discuss policies recently introduced by the district 
government in the report the 16 scientific and technological innovation 
policies on supporting the transformation of Nansha Science City into the main 
comprehensive national science center of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater 
Bay Area (the 16 scientific and technological innovation policies for short), 
according to the People's Government of Nansha District. The conference was 
also an invitation to the global science and technology innovation (STI) 
professionals and enterprises, whose cooperation with Nansha will inject 
impetus to the progress of human civilization.

Planned to cover an area of 99 square kilometers, Nansha Science City is 
jointly established by Guangzhou Municipal Government and the Chinese Academy 
of Sciences (CAS), integrating science and education. It is expected to serve 
as an important platform for the frontier research, basic research and 
high-tech innovation in the Greater Bay Area. The City is built upon the 
objective to establish a "Centenary Science City" set by Guangzhou Municipal 
Government in early 2021.

According to Lu Yixian, secretary of Nansha District, Guangzhou, Nansha Science 
City should guarantee innovation development in all aspects: scientific 
discovery, technological invention, industrial development, professional 
support and ecological optimization, while fostering an ideal environment with 
concentrated innovation resources, active innovation subjects and efficient 
innovation mechanism.

"The Nansha Science City built by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangzhou 
Municipal Government aims to become an international first-class science city 
and an important source of original innovation. With original innovation as the 
new blood, Nansha witnesses an increasing number of emerging industries with 
strategic importance such as aerospace industry and marine economy," said Xie 
Ming, standing committee member and executive vice mayor of Nansha District.

The 16 scientific and technological innovation policies will facilitate the 
gathering and building of major technology infrastructures in Nansha District, 
and will foster the establishment of scientific research platforms not only 
consistent with the industrial development orientation of the region, but also 
essential to the STI.

Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) is an 
important scientific research platform jointly established by Nansha District 
Government, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and Guangzhou Municipal 
Government. It focuses on major scientific and technological tasks such as 
sustainable exploitation of marine islands and reefs, sustainable use of 
resources and ecologically sustainable development. Zhang Si, academician of 
the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the director of the Laboratory, said in 
the conference that the Laboratory will work on the major scientific facilities 
of the cold seep ecosystem, which will support the natural gas hydrate 
exploitation with long-term observation and real-time early warning throughout 
the process, so as to ensure a safe, clean, economic and sustainable 
utilization of hydrate resources.

Three major science and technology infrastructure pre-research projects, 
including the cold spring ecosystem research device and dynamic wide area 
hypersonic wind tunnel, are reported to have started in August last year. Soft 
foundation treatment and foundation pit are expected to be completed by the 
first half of the year.

While enterprises are home to STI, high-end professionals are the key to these 
innovations. According to Xie Jiasheng, CEO of Guangdong Medical Valley 
Investment Management Co., Ltd. (GDMV), Nansha government provides substantial 
support for the STI enterprises and professionals, incentivizing companies to 
bring in talents. It is reported that the 16 scientific and technological 
innovation policies have stepped up the talent attraction effort by providing 
high-quality education for the children of the introduced professionals, 
granting them qualification to apply for Guangzhou Talent Green Card and equal 
civic rights as locals without changing their place of origin.

The transformation of technological achievements was also the focus in the 
conference. The 16 scientific and technological innovation policies will 
provide financial support for the local enterprises as they procure and 
industrialize scientific achievement from universities and scientific research 
institutes, which will accelerate the transformation of the sci-tech 
achievements from sample to product. The CAS Academician, Professor Chen Xinzi 
from Sun Yat-sen University stated that Nansha Research Institute of Sun 
Yat-Sen University has cultivated a group of enterprises with core 
competitiveness since its establishment in Nansha nine years ago. It has 
promoted the development of related industries, and formed a service system for 
the transformation of sci-tech achievements in drug industry featured by 
small-scale R&D, test, sample production and industrialization.

Companies have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic since its outbreak, and 
those from Nansha District are no exception. Dr. Xiao Guowei, leader and 
founder of APT Electronics Co., Ltd., said that after the short but severe 
impact, APT has resolutely scaled up its input in R&D and accelerated product 
and industrial upgrade, so as to reverse the adverse market situation brought 
by the Trade War and the pandemic. So far, the company's orders have been 
scheduled till the third quarter of 2021. The development of APT also 
demonstrates the advantage of the Greater Bay Area in the high-end 
manufacturing industry chain. Looking back at the company's achievements, Xiao 
Guowei was grateful for Nansha Government for its support. He said that the key 
competitiveness of Nansha's business environment lies in the 
enterprise-centered government-business relationship, together with the 
flexible and efficient government services. 

According to Lu Yixian, Nansha will further strengthen the core position of 
innovation in the future of the district, promote the high-quality development 
of Nansha Science City, create a new blueprint for growth, contributing to the 
construction of an international scientific innovation center, and the 
innovation development of the Greater Bay Area.

Source: The People's Government of Nansha District, Guangzhou