Jiangxi seals Bay Area links with trade deals

Province appeals to southern companies in hope to secure industrial contracts

It was a significant month for Jiangxi province in East China as it held a series of trade events in Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macao to help the province boost its opening-up.

Jiangxi Governor Yi Lianhong led a team to host the events and visited key companies and organizations in the southern region on June 10-14.

The events helped Jiangxi attract industrial projects from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and cooperate with sectors in Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macao. This included advanced manufacturing, modern finance, culture and logistics.

During the events, Jiangxi presented 1,387 projects with an investment value totaling about 1.4 trillion yuan ($203.5 billion).They sought potential investors from Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macao.

The events promoted 17 provincially important sectors, including electronic information, semiconductor lighting, automobiles and parts, intelligent equipment and robots, and new materials, as well as major industries in Jiangxi's 19 development zones.

An investment cooperation and promotion event was held in Shenzhen on June 11. Agreements on 85 projects worth 111.98 billion yuan in combined investment value were signed.

Attendees said Jiangxi offers many opportunities and prospects and it is developing new technologies such as virtual reality, 5G and artificial intelligence.

Zhu Yuanfa, deputy head of the Jiangxi Department of Commerce, said the province will strengthen industrial communication and cooperation with the Bay Area.

The Bay Area is one of the most economically dynamic regions in the world while Jiangxi's economy has steadily increased in recent years, Zhu said. He added that major industries of the area complement Jiangxi's sectors.

"We will cooperate more in high-tech industries to promote the upgrading of Jiangxi's manufacturing and further bilateral partnership in finance, logistics, culture and tourism to improve the province's modern service," he said.

Jiangxi's agricultural products and tourism resources also have advantages. The province can develop into a source of agricultural products for the Bay Area and as a leisure destination, he noted.

The province will strengthen cooperation with the Bay Area in scientific and technological innovation. The area is home to many companies and organizations featuring innovation and entrepreneurship, such as Tencent, Huawei, ZTE and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks, the senior official said.

The cooperation focuses on technologies in sectors such as electronic information, biopharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing, 5G and virtual reality, he noted.

The authorities in Jiangxi support local companies to establish long-term scientific and technological partnerships with colleges and universities, research institutions and laboratories from the Bay Area, he added.

The first Jiangxi-Shenzhen economic and trade cooperation and communication conference was held in Shenzhen in 2018.

Since then the two regions have signed more than 240 investment projects worth more than 140 billion yuan. Of them, the Ji'an (Shenzhen) Industrial Park is accelerating its second phase, where new plants are planned to cover an area of about 100,000 square meters and their construction is scheduled to begin in September.

The investments are due to the great support of the Shenzhen government, said Governor Yi. He said he hopes Shenzhen will continue supporting Jiangxi to undertake industrial transfer and further their cooperation in electronic information, new energy vehicles and new metal materials.

songmengxing@chinadaily.com.cn