Zhang Yu JeniZhang13@163.com GUANGDONG Province, which boasts significant strengths in electromechanical and digital intelligence technologies, is poised to channel its energies into establishing a robust industrial pillar characterized by high technology, rapid growth, and substantial scale, with a keen focus on the pivotal domains of AI and robotics, according to Guangdong Party chief Huang Kunming. Huang made the remarks at the annual Guangdong Provincial High-quality Development Conference which opened in Guangzhou yesterday, the first working day following the Chinese New Year holiday. It is hoped that forward-thinking and enterprising investors and entrepreneurs will eagerly engage in this groundbreaking industrial celebration, collaboratively embracing a future where human beings and robots coexist in a harmonious intelligent world, Huang said at the general assembly. Guangdong’s industrial system has flourished through open collaboration and continually evolved through transformation and upgrading. Thus, it must aim to take the forefront in the new wave of scientific and technological innovation and industrial transformation, according to Huang. By comprehensively refining and enhancing its industrial structure, Guangdong will break free from the middle and lower ends of the value chain, secure new avenues for growth, and forge an even more internationally competitive modern industrial system, he said. Governor Wang Weizhong emphasized that the conference serves as a platform for exchange, a gathering for mobilization, and an event for encouragement. He called for efforts to further enhance the industrial foundation, modernize the industrial chain, and speed up the development of a modern industrial system with greater international competitiveness. A press conference was held yesterday to release the “2025 Action Plan for Building a Modern Industrial System in Guangdong Province” and the “Guangdong Province Modern Industrial System Development Report (2023-2024).” The action plan is centered on the execution of eight key initiatives and 26 specific work measures in areas such as industrial excellence, scientific and technological innovation, and enterprise cultivation. The development report, on the other hand, encompasses a comprehensive review of Guangdong’s endeavors in establishing a modern industrial system over the past two years. It primarily serves to provide data support and a reference framework for enterprises looking to invest in Guangdong and conduct market research. This year, Guangdong has scheduled 1,500 key construction projects, with an annual investment plan totaling 1 trillion yuan (US$137.5 billion), according to Ai Xuefeng, head of the provincial development and reform commission. | 