Workers assemble electric devices at Salcomp's branch in Guigang. ZHANG QINGJIE/FOR CHINA DAILY

City has transformed from a traditional agricultural base to an emerging manufacturing hub

In recent years, Guigang in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region has focused on promoting new-type industrialization and promoted high-quality development to transform itself from a traditional agricultural city to an emerging industrial one, local officials said.

He Luchun, Party secretary of Guigang, said the city will further accelerate its industrial development and expand investment promotion during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25).

"Guigang will do its best to boost emerging industries such as new energy vehicles, electronic information and biomedicine, while also introducing a group of new infrastructure projects," he said.

"Guigang has made significant progress in industrial economic development and will continue to expand its total industrial scale, which has played a pivotal role in promoting economic growth, increasing tax collections and raising employment."

Statistics show that from 2016 to 2020, more than 1,109 industrial projects were signed in and introduced to the city, with a planned investment of more than 312.4 billion yuan ($48.89 billion).

The total industrial economy increased from 86.59 billion yuan in 2015 to 138.8 billion yuan in 2020.

There are 794 industrial enterprises above designated size in Guigang. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20), the number of newly approved enterprises tallied 555.

The number of enterprises with an output value of more than 100 million yuan grew from 192 at the end of 2015 to 290 at the end of 2019.

The city's GDP increased from 86.52 billion yuan in 2015 to 135.27 billion yuan in 2020, an average annual increase of about 9 percent.

From 2016 to 2020, fixed asset investment grew at an average annual rate of 14.3 percent, and fiscal revenue recorded an average annual rate of 14.6 percent.

On one hand, Guigang has centered on traditional advantageous industries such as wood processing, building materials, metallurgy, sugar, and electric power to promote the upgrading of traditional industries.

On the other hand, the city is developing emerging industries including electronic information, biomedicine and new energy vehicles.

The introduction of Huaao Automobile, with an investment of 8 billion yuan, and a group of flat aluminum lightweight carriages with an investment of 3.5 billion yuan have a long-reaching impact on the industrial chain and radiation.

Guigang has constructed the second automobile production base in Guangxi and the framework of the China-ASEAN new energy electric vehicle production base.

The city will also adhere to the targeted investment promotion of the industrial chain and strengthen its market-oriented investment promotion.

It has cooperated with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and introduced a number of high-end projects.

Guigang is promoting the construction of smart city pilot projects, exploring the adoption of innovative models such as set of systems, two-tier platforms, and four types of applications to break data barriers, integrate information resources, and create applications that benefit local residents.

The city is advancing the reform of supply and marketing cooperatives and innovating the "agriculture, rural areas and farmers" model.

Guigang was named a national advanced unit for the comprehensive reform of supply and marketing cooperatives, advanced unit for special pilot for comprehensive reform of national supply and marketing cooperatives.

A total of 16 grassroots supply and marketing cooperatives in Guigang were awarded as national demonstration bases.

The China-ASEAN new energy electric vehicle production base. ZHANG QINGJIE/FOR CHINA DAILY

Guigang Port. CHINA DAILY

The view of the Guigang in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. CHINA DAILY