On May 7th Guangzhou City Government released a three-year plan to establish the city as an international exchange center, highlighting the optimization of the city’s business environment and strengthening of its connections with global partners.
The plan shows Guangzhou will be dedicated to an open economy, facilitate investment with better services and encourage foreign capital to flow into more regions. The city will also seek to house more Fortune 500 enterprises, international leading enterprises and large scale projects, especially in the innovative sectors such as IAB (information technology, AI and bio-technology) and NEM (new energy and material).
Aiming for an international innovation network, Guangzhou will partner up globally through its offices in Silicon Valley, Boston and Tel Aviv. It will facilitate the construction of international platforms in the city, such as, the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (Guangzhou) and Guangzhou-Oxford University Innovation Center, and improve the protection of intellectual property rights.
The plan also includes a variety of strategies to establish an international talent pool and better services for overseas expats, addressing issues like green card application, business registration, children education and etc.
In addition, Guangzhou will tighten links with cities around the world, and establish sister relationship with cities both in developed countries and in developing countries along the Belt and Road. Apart from a series of widely publicised exchanges, the city will set up a scholarship project and construct a shared database with its sister cities as well.
Meanwhile, the plan emphasizes Guangzhou’s functions as an international conference and exhibition center, organizer of key international events such as the Canton Fair and Guangzhou International Investment Conference while introducing overseas forums and conventions.
The goal will also be achieved through the expansions of the city’s transport network, opening more international air routes and shipping routes. To upgrade services, Guangzhou will push forward the construction of T3 at Baiyun International Airport and begin planning on the second international airport in the next three years.
Strengthening international cooperation in fields of culture, education and tourism is also one of the city’s major tasks, according to the plan.
