Huangpu District, Guangzhou

The division between primary, secondary and tertiary sectors has shifted since 2015. Back then, the tertiary sector accounted for 29.1% of Huangpu District's GDP, while the secondary sector accounted for 70.6% and the primary sector for only 0.3%. In 2019, the tertiary sector accounted for 35.7% of Huangpu District's GDP, with the secondary sector accounting for 64.1% and the primary sector having fallen to 0.2%. Thus, although the share of the tertiary sector has been growing, the dominating industry in Huangpu is still the secondary industry.[2]

The dominance of the secondary sector can also be seen from the growing industrial output. Between 2017 and 2019, total industrial output value above designated size rose from RMB 745.91 Billion to RMB 739.65 Billion. Sector-wise, the total industrial output is divided as follows:[2]

Huangpu district's automotive industry achieved a total industrial output value of RMB 167.88 billion in 2019. Companies present in Huangpu include Magna, Webasto, JATCO, Honda, Xpeng Motors, Stanley Electric, and Baoneng Motor.[2]

Huangpu district's electronics industry achieved a total industrial output value of RMB 162.41 billion in 2019. Companies present include LG, Jabil Circuit, and Skyworth. Another notable company is Guangzhou Shiyuan Electronic Technology Company Limited, an LCD controller board supplier headquartered in Huangpu. From its founding in 2005, the LCD controller board supplier has grown to occupy over 29% of global and 61% of China's domestic market share in 2019.[2]

Huangpu district's energy industry achieved a total industrial output value of RMB 161.44 billion in 2019, drawing mainly from high-efficiency energy-saving equipment, the product considered most competitive in Huangpu district by Deloitte. Notable companies from the energy sector in Huangpu include China Southern Power Grid, Sinopec Group, Kinfa, Guangzhou Hengyun, Guangzhou Hirp Chemical, Guangdong Yuehua Power, and Guangzhou GCL Power.[2]

Huangpu district's high-end chemical industry achieved a total industrial output value of RMB 62.21 billion in 2019. The industry centers mostly around cosmetics, home care, fragrances, flavours, and fine chemicals. Notable companies include P&G, Amway, Colgate, and Guangzhou NipponPaint.[2]

Huangpu district's food and beverage industry achieved a total industrial output value of RMB 57.89 billion in 2019. It is composed of high-end food, functional food, green and organic food, urban leisure food, and health food. Notable companies include Mars, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, MeadJohnson, BiosTime, Uni-President, and Yantang Dairy.[2]

In September 2023, Yihexi Technology has been granted the automated food production and sale business license by the Huangpu district market regulatory bureau, becoming the first company in Guangdong province to obtain the license.[11]

Huangpu district's electrical machinery industry achieved a total industrial output value of RMB 22.56 billion in 2019. The industry is, for instance, processing equipment, measurement and control devices. Notable companies include Panasonic, Hitachi, Siemens, Schneider, Guangzhou Nanyang Cable, and Guangzhou Zhiguang Electric.[2]

Huangpu's new-generation information technology industry consists of integrated circuits, new types of display panels, intelligent terminals and other operation services for intelligent finance, big data, and service providers for telecommunication and information technology. In 2019, these sectors achieved a cumulative total industrial output of RMB 161.47 billion. Representative companies include Guangzhou CanSemi Technology, LG, Shiyuan Electronic, GRG Banking, Comba Telecom or Haige Communications.[2]

The district is furthermore developing three foundations for future industries:

First, 5G and autonomous driving. In 2019, the district had constructed 2,500 5G base stations, two 5G intelligent factories and a demonstration district for autonomous driving utilising 5G.[2] First trials have shown that data collection for the development of autonomous driving in Guangzhou has been much better than in Silicon Valley. While the number of cars encountered by the trial vehicle has been around the same in both places, the number of pedestrians was five times higher in Guangzhou than in Silicon Valley, and the number of cyclists four times as high. This allowed for a much richer generation of data on autonomous driving.[12]

Second, Blockchain. According to a 2020 report by Deloitte, the district has applied blockchain technology to a variety of services, including finance, manufacturing, QC and government services.[2]

Third, Industrial Internet.  According to the same report by Deloitte, the district is pushing the construction of national-level nodes in the “Industrial Internet Identification Resolution”.[2] Broadly speaking, this "Industrial Internet Identification Resolution" (simplified Chinese: 国家工业互联网标识解析体系; traditional Chinese: 國家工業互聯網標識解析體系; pinyin: Guójiā Gōngyè Hùliánwǎng Biāozhì Jiě​xī Tǐ​xì; lit. 'National Industrial Internet Identification Analysis System' ) allows for the identification of entities and virtual objects within the internet of things, and can be compared to the Domain Name System (DNS) already in use today.[13]

Huangpu district is home to four industry clusters. First, the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City (CSGKC) focused on knowledge-intensive economy and future industries. Second, Huangpu Lingang Economic Zone focused on service industries. Third, Guangzhou Science City focused on innovation and research and development. Fourth, Guangzhou International Biotech Island focusing on biomedicine.[14] All of them are supported through national subsidies and preferential policies.[2]

CSGKC, also known as "Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City" or simply "Guangzhou Knowledge City" is focused on knowledge-intensive economy and future industries such as information technology, high-end equipment manufacturing, green economy, biomedicine, digital economy, new materials and artificial intelligence. It covers an area of 123 square kilometres.[14] The area combines industrial development with supporting facilities, research and development institutes, residential areas and cultural attractions.[15]

CSGKC is located around 35 km northeast of Guangzhou city centre and around 25 km from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. The area was started in 2010 as a greenfield master development by Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City Investment and Development Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Singapore-based CapitaLand and the district government of Huangpu. In 2018, the initiative was elevated to a bilateral state-level cooperation project between Singapore and the People's Republic of China.[16] Since its inception, a total of 1,803 enterprises have registered in the area by 2020, with registered capital reaching US$21.35 billion and fixed asset investment reaching around US$20.35 billion.[17]

CSGKC is home to several companies and projects. Notable among those is for instance Guangzhou CanSemi Technology, which runs the only 12-inch wafer production line in Guangdong province in the CSGKC.[17] Another notable project is Baidu's Apollo R&D Centre, where smart vehicles are researched and tested.[18]

GSGKC is also home to several academic institutions. First, the Sino-Singapore International Joint Research Institute jointly set up by the CSGKC Administrative Committee, South China University of Technology, Nanyang Technological University, and Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City Investment and Development Co., Ltd. The institute is staffed with Singaporian and Chinese professionals and focuses on the key industries of CSGKC detailed above. It engages in the research and development of new products and processes. In doing so, it cooperates with local companies and investors and incubates enterprises.[19] Second, Huangpu Institute of the university of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (UCASS), which was set up in 2020.[20]

A Concept Master Plan has been developed for CSGKC, which aims to integrate comprising hi-tech business parks, residential, commercial, recreational and public amenities in one area – including neighbourhood centres. green connectors and water parks. This Master Plan embodies a network through the entire City, with large green belts dividing it into the Northern, Central and Southern Towns. This Concept Master Plan has been approved and given considered weight by the Municipal Government.  [21]

Huangpu Lingang Economic Zone is situated in the southern part of Huangpu district.[22] It covers an area of 27 square kilometres of landmass and 15 square kilometres of water, and it focuses on modern service industries. Situated right at the Yangtze River, the cluster is home to coastline ports,[14] as well as the second Guangzhou Central Business District.[23] Its foci include port and shipping services, industrial finance, SciTech innovation, human resources, high-end and e-commerce, cultural tourism and cruise industry. It is envisioned to become an integrated service centre for international shipping and it is expected to become a key linking point for the Maritime Silk Road part of the Belt and Road Initiative.[22]

Guangzhou Science City (GSC) covers an area of 37.47 square kilometres. It focuses on high-tech industries, research and development institutions and human capital development.[14] It is home to ISA Science City International School,[24] as well as companies such as Samsung, LG, Sony, Hitachi, Cedar Center, Skyworth, Baoneng, Bio-Thera, Wondfo, and Xiangxue Pharmaceutical. According to a report by Deloitte, GSC will be involved in the construction of CASICloud, Ali feilonglink and the Smart-IC of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Ltd.[2]

Guangzhou International Biotech Island (GIBI), formally known as Guanzhou Island or Dove Island, is a biomedicine cluster within Huangpu district.[25] It forms the centre of the biotechnological industry base of Guangzhou. By 2020, around 130 pharmaceutical companies had settled on the island, among those KingMed Diagnostics or Riton-Biomaterial. In 2021, Geneseeq Technology Inc. and AstraZeneca announced their plans to establish a Bio-Diagnostic Innovation Center on the island.[26]

The island brings together domestic and international high-end biomedicine companies and research and development centres. Among those are biotechnological research and development institutions, as well as biological service providers. A study commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action predicts that the island will develop into a multifunctional biotechnology centre of the GBA, as it is located within the city centre of Guangzhou and well-integrated into its trade- and business systems.[27]

Bio Island is home to 500+ life science companies, which include enterprises operating in the fields of biomedicine, medical devices, genetics & protein engineering, and medical testing & diagnostics.  

In addition, the Bio Island offers Abundant medical resources with the highest coverage rate of tertiary hospitals in China. Bio Island is home to one of the three China major medical centers and offers 6 hospital beds per 1,000 people by 2020 (worldwide average 2.38)  [28]

In 2021, the total import and export volume of Huangpu District reached US$48.12 billion, an increase of 17.3% year-on-year, accounting for 30.2% of the city's total import and export volume. The share of imports and exports in emerging markets continued to grow, with increased imports and exports activities mainly to ASEAN, the EU, South Korea and Mexico.  

Regarding foreign investment activities, Huangpu District received US$5.625 billion in 2021, an increase of 26.6% year-on-year. There were 317 projects with contracted total foreign investment of US$3.801 billion in the tertiary sector, accounting for 67.6% of the total amount in the district, mainly concentrated in scientific R&D and experimental projects, leasing and business services, accounting for 47.5% and 24.2% of the total tertiary sector respectively.[2]

The district is home to several different financial institutions. Among these are traditional banks (such as Guangzhou Rural Commercial Bank) and venture capitalists (such as Baidu Ventures or Korea Investment Partners). Nevertheless, banks amount to the most significant number (27 in December 2020), followed by insurers (25), financial lease (22), and others (19).[2]

Among these institutions, the Guangdong Equity Exchange is particularly noteworthy. Being the only securities exchange in Guangdong Province, companies from all across the province are listed and displayed there. At the end of November 2020, their number totalled 19,726, with total financing and trading transactions of RMB 120.707 billion.[2]

Huangpu is currently serviced by five lines on the Guangzhou Metro:

•      Line 5 - Yuzhu  13 , Dashadi, Dashadong, Wenchong
•      Line 6 - Huangbei, Jinfeng, Xiangang, Suyuan  21 , Luogang, Xiangxue
•      Line 13 - Yuzhu  5 , Yufengwei, Shuanggang, Nanhai God Temple, Xiayuan, Nangang
•      Line 14 - Hongwei, Xinnan, Fengxia, Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City, Hetangxia, Wangcun, Tangcun, Zhenlongbei, Zhenlong  21 
•      Line 21 - Shenzhoulu, Science City, Suyuan  6 , Shuixi, Changping, Jinkeng, Zhenlongxi, Zhenlong  14 

The district features a wide range of public schools, such as the Guangzhou University-affiliated middle school (simplified Chinese: 广州大学附属中学; traditional Chinese: 廣州大學附屬中學; pinyin: Guǎngzhōu Dàxué Fùshǔ Zhōngxué; Jyutping: gwong2 zau1 daai6 hok6 fu6 suk6 zung1 hok6), which are spread over the "Huanghua Road Campus" and the "University Town Campus", as well as numerous others. Listing them would lead too far at this point, but they can be looked up under the given source.[29]

Apart from public schools, the district also encompasses several private and international schools. Among them are for example:

• Guangzhou International Primary School ZWIE (simplified Chinese: 广州市黄埔中黄外国语小学; traditional Chinese: 廣州市黃埔中黃外國語小學; pinyin: Guǎngzhōu Shì Huángpǔ Zhōnghuáng Wàiguóyǔ Xiǎoxué; Jyutping: gwong2 zau1 si5 wong4 bou3 zung1 wong4 ngoi6 gwok3 jyu5 siu2 hok6)
• Guangzhou International Middle School Huangpu ZWIE (merged with Guangzhou International Primary School ZWIE in 2021 to offer consecutive 9-year education according to the International Baccalaureate standard)[30]
• North Anglia International School Guangzhou (simplified Chinese: Nord Anglia 广州外籍人员子女学校; traditional Chinese: Nord Anglia 廣州外籍人員子女學校; pinyin: Nord Anglia Guǎngzhōu Wàijí Rényuán Zǐ​nǚ Xuéxiào; Jyutping: Nord Anglia gwong2 zau1 ngoi6 zik6 jan4 jyun4 zi2 neoi5 hok6 haau6)
• American International School of Guangzhou (simplified Chinese: 广州美国人国际学校; traditional Chinese: 廣州美國人國際學校; pinyin: Guǎngzhōu Měiguórén Guójì Xuéxiào; Jyutping: gwong2 zau1 mei5 gwok3 jan4 gwok3 zai3 hok6 haau6). Its middle and high school campus is located in the Guangzhou Science City (科学城; 科學城; Kēxuéchéng; fo1 hok6 sing4), in the former Luogang District.[31]
• ISA Science City International School (simplified Chinese: 广州科学城爱莎外籍人员子女学校; traditional Chinese: 廣州科學城愛莎外籍人員子女學校; pinyin: Guǎngzhōu Kē​xuéchéng Àishā Wàijí Rényuán Zǐ​nǚ Xuéxiào; Jyutping: gwong2 zau1 fo1 hok6 sing4 ngoi3 saa1 ngoi6 zik6 jan4 jyun4 zi2 neoi5 hok6 haau6). An International Baccalaureate candidate school, It offers education from early childhood (starting from age two) to grade 12.[32]
• SingChina Academy (simplified Chinese: 广州新侨学校; traditional Chinese: 廣州新僑學校; pinyin: Guǎngzhōu Xīnqiáo Xuéxiào; Jyutping: gwong2 zau1 san1 kiu4 hok6 haau6). This international school opened at China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City in September 2021. It is a cooperation project between Singapore and China, and it is affiliated with the Singaporean Hwa Chong family of schools.[15] It offers a 12-year bilingual, international curriculum covering primary, middle and high school levels, integrating both Chinese and western education.[33]

Throughout Guangdong Province, there are a large number of universities and colleges with a wide variety of orientations, of which about 30 are in the capital city of Guangzhou. Of the universities represented in Guangzhou, some have campuses in Huangpu, such as Guangzhou University, which maintains a research campus there.[34] Foreign universities are also represented. For instance, the University of Birmingham maintains a research centre in Huangpu District.[35][36]

In addition, there are ambitions to construct several universities in Huangpu. The district's "Vision 2035" plans to build its own Huangpu University (黄埔大学; 黃埔大學; Huángpǔ Dàxué; wong4 bou3 daai6 hok6) between 2021 and 2025. It also aims to form Guangzhou Jiaotong University (广州交通大学; 廣州交通大學; Guǎngzhōu Jiāotōng Dàxué; gwong2 zau1 gaau1 tung1 daai6 hok6) by merging several universities.[37] On its website, the district government further specifies that the university, when completed, should cover a total area of over 780,000 square meters and provide space for teaching and offices. It is also expected to function as a new research center.[38]

Huangpu is home to several research institutes that support research and development in the district. Some of them are operated by Huangpu's local universities, others affiliated with universities from other cities or countries.[39] As detailed above, Guangzhou University and the University of Birmingham both maintain research institutes in Huangpu District,[34][36] whilst the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City is home to the Sino-Singapore International Joint Research Institute and the Huangpu Institute of the university of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

In the future, according to the district's official website, there are plans to expand research institutions. For example, the Huangpu Research Institute of Guangzhou University has been under expansion since the end of 2021 and is expected to include its own academic exchange centre, offices and laboratories in the future. Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS) plans to build a specific research institute in Huangpu in 2022. Both the research institute of Guangdong University and Guangzhou University are part of the comprehensive development plan of the specially launched "Science and Education Innovation Zone" (2020-2023) of CSGKC.[21]