（原标题：SFC Markets and Finance | Guangdong’s “first meeting of the year” kicked off）
南方财经全媒体记者李依农 杨雨莱 广州报道
On February 5, the first working day after the Chinese New Year holiday, Guangdong’s “first meeting of the year” has kicked off as anticipated. This year’s Guangdong Provincial High-quality Development Conference continues to focus on high-quality development, themed "Building a Modern Industrial System". In the context of shifting global dynamics, How will Guangdong leverage its industrial foundation and technological strengths to advance the modernization process and achieve the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries? Fan Gang, Professor of Economics at Peking University and the President of China Development Institute (CDl) in Shenzhen (China) shared his insights with us.
Fan Gang, Professor of Economics at Peking University, the President of China Development Institute (CDl) in Shernzhen (China)
Fan Gang: Guangdong is the largest economic province in the country and also has the most extensive manufacturing sector and traditional industries nationwide. Therefore, in terms of upgrading and developing traditional industries, Guangdong should be the pacesetter, taking the lead in making proactive efforts to set an example for the whole nation. Conversely, due to its deep accumulation, there may be more issues. For instance, in each industry, there are numerous enterprises that compete fiercely with each other, leading to thin profits and difficulties in continuing innovation.
As a result, they face problems such as mergers and reorganizations and the continuous upgrading of industrial structures. Thus, more efforts are needed, including policy efforts, further market expansion, and more encouragement for the involvement of equity investment funds, so that we can not only apply new technologies in traditional industries but also develop new models within them. We need to ensure that the basic rules and principles of the market economy can truly play a role in the development of traditional industries. There are still many challenges ahead.
Today, the attendants at the high-quality development conference were very enthusiastic. Not only the relevant provincial government departments but also counties and cities, including the enterprises, have shown a strong emphasis on traditional industries. I believe this is very important. We indeed need to pay more attention to the development and reform of traditional industries themselves.
On the way to industrial transformation, private enterprises also play an important role. Up to the end of 2024, Guangdong is home to 18.38 million private business entities.
How can new technologies empower private enterprises? Where lies the path to high-quality development for the manufacturing industry? Let’s hear from the representatives of private enterprises at the Conference.
Dong Mingzhu, the President and chairwoman of Gree Electric
Dong Mingzhu: In recent years, Guangdong province has experienced rapid development under the reform and opening-up. From the perspective of high-quality development, the manufacturing industry has taken a significant leap forward. Our progress over these years has changed the past perceptions of "Made in China". In the past, it was commonly believed internationally that Chinese products were of low quality and low price.
But now, Chinese brands have made a strong presence globally, and foreign consumers have come to appreciate Chinese-made products. Gree, in particular, has felt this shift deeply. We Chinese are also very proud that Gree air conditioners can be seen all over the world. This is the result of our brand's commitment to high-quality development.
The support behind the high-quality development of a brand is the internal upgrade of the enterprise. We have evolved from a traditional manufacturing model to a smart manufacturing system, entering a new era, the so-called big data era.
But now, AI technology not only speeds up the process in management and production, but crucially, to the products themselves. For example, our new products developed with AI technology are approximately 13% more energy-efficient than traditional air conditioners.
For our company, we place greater emphasis on the development process. The connotations of high-quality development are manifold, including the advancement of products, technology, and management. I believe it is always evolving. Rather than discussing how the future should be, I think high-quality development is the daily improvement and change of a company. It is continuous, not an innovation at a specific point in time, but a perpetual innovation.
The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is a pioneering region in China’s reform and opening-up, and it is also one of the most dynamic areas in terms of economic development. Meanwhile, Guangdong is committed to enhancing the international competitiveness of its industries by advancing the high-level "Five-Pronged Foreign Linkage Strategy". In the context of increasing global economic uncertainty, what makes Guangdong attractive?
Peter Kung, Members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
Peter Kung: I think we have progressed extremely well during the past few decades. China has always been a huge export country from footwear, garments, (to) now we export the high value-added goods like motor cars, ships and all these computers, all these high value-added goods.
If we look at the Greater Bay Area, we have 25 companies in the Fortune 500. If we look at the Great Britain, they have about 15. So we actually outnumber them by quite a lot. For those twenty more companies, most of them are in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, some are in Hong Kong. And I think the earning power is growing and people live happily.
One thing which we excel is that we have a very complete industrial chain. If we have an idea, then the idea can be developed into product, and the product can be marketed locally and globally. Take DJI as an example. Mr. Wang got the idea when he was studying in Hong Kong, and then they developed it and turned it into products. And the funds also come from the region. And then the goods are marketed worldwide now. So I think this is the strength of our region, which is very unique.
Of course, we face a lot of challenges, but in the past, we usually come up strong, stronger than before. And I believe that with the people in the region, with the talents that we have, with the funds that we have got, we will excel again.
Haryono Lim, President of BASF's major projects in Asia
Haryono Lim: Our Core Verbund site in Zhanjiang is steadily progressing and is scheduled to commence operations by the end of this year. This milestone not only marks an important achievement in BAS's 140-year history in China but also showcases the remarkable pace of development in Guangdong.
Chief Producer: Yu Xiaona
Supervising Producer: Shi Shi
Editor: He Jia
Reporter: Yang Yulai, Li Yinong
Video Editor: Cai Yutian Li Qun
New Media Coordination: Ding Qingyun, Zeng Tingfang, Lai Xi, Huang Daxun
Overseas Operations Supervising Producer: Huang Yanshu
Overseas Content Coordinator: Huang Zihao
Overseas Operations Editors: Zhuang Huan, Wu Wanjie, Long Lihua, Zhang Weitao
Produced by: Southern Finance Omnimedia Group
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