Beijing: China is betting on a slew of incentives to help build Nansha district in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, into a strategic hub for technological innovation and advanced industries, making it an attractive destination for international talent and investments, analysts said.

       The National Development and Reform Commission, together with the Commerce Ministry and the State Administration for Market Regulation, on Tuesday unveiled a 15-point document detailing measures for giving better play to Nansha’s leading role in bolstering the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA).

       Nansha, home to a port and spread across more than 800 sq km, has been earmarked as a key development zone under the GBA, which aims to turn Hong Kong, Macau, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and six other Guangdong cities into a major economic powerhouse fuelled by innovation with improved international competitiveness and influence by 2035.

       Nansha will implement a 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreigners and a visa-free policy for cruise travel, as part of the country’s ongoing efforts to expand high-standard opening-up and promote the high-quality development of the GBA, according to the document, titled “The guideline for supporting the relaxation of market access and strengthening institutional reform for regulation in Guangzhou’s Nansha”.

       Nansha will be encouraged to participate in the formulation and implementation of technical standards for unmanned systems involving sea, land and air; establish an industrial incubation base of unmanned systems for GBA; accelerate the construction of a high-end marine equipment manufacturing base; build an internationally leading comprehensive service system for cross-border investment and financing for enterprises, and promote green, low-carbon and high-quality development.

       Charlie Zheng, chief economist at Samoyed Cloud Technology Group Holdings Ltd, said the document aimed to optimise resource allocation and the market environment, hoping to overcome obstacles hindering the development of Nansha and the GBA.

       “From an industrial perspective, the key focus on high-end service industries, unmanned smart transportation and advanced marine-equipment manufacturing, as well as the promotion of a low-carbon economy, will significantly enhance Nansha’s attractiveness to surrounding enterprises and domestic and foreign investments,” he said. — China Daily/ANN

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