At the historic juncture marking the conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the commencement of the 15th Five-Year Plan, the recent intensive Party congresses held across nine cities in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) have unveiled regional development strategies, signaling a new phase of growth. The focus has shifted from factor "aggregation" to innovation-driven "clustering" in industrial upgrading, from infrastructure "hard connectivity" to institutional and industrial "soft integration" in regional collaboration, and from scale "expansion" to quality "enhancement" in urban development. The PRD is reshaping its development paradigm with greater efficiency, integration, and livability.
This collective blueprint for the 15th Five-Year Plan clearly outlines the PRD's future trajectory—a world-class bay area propelled by "innovation-driven growth" and "coordinated development," aiming for systemic transformation. Its exploration and practices will not only redefine its competitive landscape but also provide critical momentum for high-quality development nationwide.
**New Quality Productive Forces: Sci-Tech Innovation Leads Modern Industrial Systems** Industrial competitiveness remains central to the 15th Five-Year Plan. PRD cities unanimously prioritize developing new quality productive forces, leveraging sci-tech innovation to modernize industrial systems.
- **Guangzhou**, the core engine of Guangdong’s economy, has entered a phase of dual quantitative and qualitative growth. Its 15th Five-Year Plan focuses on building a "12218" modern industrial system led by innovation. While consolidating advantages in six trillion-yuan clusters like intelligent connected vehicles and biopharma, Guangzhou is eyeing emerging sectors such as low-altitude economy and AI to ensure smoother transitions between old and new growth drivers.
- **Shenzhen**, with 12 national high-tech firms per square kilometer—the highest density in China—anchors its economic strategy on the real economy. It aims to integrate digital, network, platform, and financial services deeply into manufacturing upgrades. Future efforts will center on smart, green, and health trends, using AI to empower industries and foster a new ecosystem blending the real and digital economies.
- **Foshan** is pursuing a triple strategy: transforming traditional industries, expanding emerging sectors, and nurturing future industries. It highlights "AI + robotics" as a high-tech, high-growth, large-scale cluster, underscoring its shift from a "manufacturing hub" to a "smart manufacturing powerhouse."
- **Dongguan**, transitioning from the "world’s factory" to an "innovation hub," emphasizes "smart and creative excellence" through its "8+8+4" industrial system. It is digitizing traditional manufacturing while boosting semiconductor and new energy clusters. The city also champions its "aesthetic manufacturing" brand, supporting local giants like OPPO and vivo in global markets.
- **Huizhou**, newly elevated to Guangdong’s "major economic city" tier, targets trillion-yuan GDP by deepening collaboration with Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, and Foshan. It is co-building AI and robotics corridors with Shenzhen-Dongguan and world-class clusters with Guangzhou-Foshan.
Other cities are also carving niches: Zhuhai in digital economy and unmanned systems, Zhongshan in cross-strait integration, Jiangmen in new energy storage, and Zhaoqing in NEV and industrial parks.
**Greater Bay Area Synergy: Reshaping Spatial Development** The 15th Five-Year Plan underscores deeper integration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), with cities aligning their plans under the national strategy.
- **Guangzhou and Shenzhen**, as dual cores, are spearheading a world-class city cluster. Guangzhou is enhancing the Nansha platform and自贸区upgrades, while Shenzhen is advancing urban integration and closer ties with Hong Kong and Macao.
- **Huizhou** is accelerating Shenzhen metropolitan integration, and **Zhuhai** is leading the western PRD urban圈with珠西科学城. **Zhongshan**, post-Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge’s 2024 opening, aims to be a fusion hub, with its GDP surpassing 400 billion yuan.
Key platforms like Hengqin, Qianhai, and Nansha will continue breaking barriers. Hengqin alone has attracted 83 projects with over 1.45 billion yuan in registered capital since 2025.
**Urban Quality: Six Themes for Sustainable Growth** Modern industries and city clusters demand world-class urban capacity. PRD cities are pivoting from scale-driven growth to集约, livable, and resilient development, targeting "innovative, beautiful, and smart" cities.
- **Guangzhou** is prioritizing urban renewal and village redevelopment, with 291 micro-upgrade projects. - **Dongguan** is crafting a "smart, harmonious, and livable" vision for its 10-million population. - **Foshan** is enhancing urban quality through ecology, culture, and regional synergy. - **Zhongshan** is focusing on boutique urban development, while **Zhaoqing** is integrating its eastern城区into the GBA.
Each city’s tailored approach—Guangzhou’s renewal, Shenzhen’s infrastructure, Zhongshan’s town-level upgrades—reflects a unified PRD vision: innovation-driven产业leaps, deeper integration, and quality-centric urbanism, collectively powering China’s high-quality development.
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