Hong Kong Bauhinia Magazine:  

The number of new- and high-tech development zones in China has nearly doubled compared with a decade ago. Successful outcomes from pilot reforms of national innovation demonstration zones have also been made, giving rise to practices applicable to other areas. Can you exemplify and elaborate on the situation in this field? What measures will be taken next to better leverage such zones' role in leading the development of their surrounding areas? Thank you.

Wu Zhaohui:

Establishing national new- and high-tech development zones and innovation demonstration zones are major strategic plans made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. The first national new- and high-tech development zone was approved in 1988, and the strategic direction of "developing advanced science and technology, realizing industrialization" has since been established. The national innovation demonstration zones, established in 2009, further carried out trial and reform work focusing on independent innovation. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, 177 national new- and high-tech development zones and 23 national innovation demonstration zones across China have fully implemented the requirements to pursue high-quality development and innovation. They have played an important role in leading the development of their surrounding areas. They have blazed a path of new- and high-tech industrialization with Chinese characteristics. They have also become a pilot for sci-tech institutional reforms, a pacesetter for innovation-driven development, and a pioneer for high-quality development. In 2022, new- and high-tech development and innovation demonstration zones sustained dynamic growth momentum and contributed 13.6% of the nation's GDP. They also rank among the highest in terms of energy conservation. Their energy consumption per 10,000 yuan of industrial-added value was two-thirds of the national average. These two kinds of zones also play a vital role in stabilizing economic growth.

A review of the development of new- and high-tech development zones and innovation demonstration zones over the past decade shows that this sector's significant achievements and breakthroughs lie in high-quality development and innovation. The high-quality development of these two kinds of zones can be seen in the following three aspects. First, high-quality innovation resources have been pooled at an accelerated pace. The R&D spending of national new- and high-tech development zones accounts for nearly half of the investment in R&D by domestic enterprises. The number of valid invention patents possessed by enterprises in such zones also accounts for nearly half of the nation's total. These zones are also home to nearly half of the national-level innovation platforms. Second, high-growth enterprises keep emerging. National new- and high-tech development zones have attracted over one-third of domestic sci-tech SMEs, one-third of domestic new- and high-tech enterprises, and two-thirds of companies listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange Science and Technology Innovation Board. Third, high-end industries continue to grow. For example, the industrial scale of information and communication technology (ICT) in Beijing's Zhongguancun national high-tech industrial development zone accounts for 17% of the nation's total. The size of the biomedical industry in 36 new- and high-tech development zones in the Yangtze River Delta exceeds half of the nation's total. The innovation demonstration zones in the Pearl River Delta have developed a group of trillion-yuan industrial clusters such as those involving advanced materials. All these three aspects speak volumes about the significant achievements of new- and high-tech development zones.

In addition, innovation is another achievement of new- and high-tech development zones and innovation demonstration zones, and it can also be summarized in three aspects. First, new- and high-tech development zones have become the birthplace of major original outcomes. For example, the first AI chip and the first prototype superconducting quantum computer were all made in such areas. Meanwhile, new- and high-tech development zones have also become major hubs for exploring new development paths and nurturing future-oriented industries. For instance, new business forms involving smart robots, satellite navigation, and cell and gene therapy were born in such areas. The second aspect is reform. Innovation demonstration zones have always led the way in reform, and all 23 such zones have rolled out a series of original and guiding policies to promote independent innovation. For example, Beijing's Zhongguancun national high-tech industrial development zone carried out pilot programs to give more autonomy in using research funding. It also introduced reform measures allowing enterprises to use scientific research outcomes before paying related research institutions. These popular moves have created a sound social atmosphere featuring innovation and business ventures. The third aspect is about innovative measures for opening up. Both new- and high-tech development zones and innovation demonstration zones value globalized development. Over 70% of new- and high-tech development zones have introduced policies regarding international matters. They have also established over 2,200 R&D institutions overseas, which facilitates a new pattern of opening up and cooperation.

Regarding the plans for new- and high-tech development zones and innovation demonstration zones, we will follow the general requirements of fully implementing the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress. We will further underscore the strategic position of these zones, enhance brand-building and improve development capacity. We will continue to make efforts in the following three aspects. First, we will keep reaching new heights based on our achievements. We will continue developing world-class enterprises and industrial clusters, enhancing the capacity for original invention and nurturing future-oriented industries to create an upgraded version of high-quality new- and high-tech development zones and national innovation demonstration zones in the new era. Second, we will keep deepening reform. Reform measures for national innovation demonstration zones have long played a leading role. We will further scale up efforts to implement innovation demonstration zone piloting and reform measures. Reform efforts in the next step will focus on two aspects: high-level sci-tech self-reliance and a high-level ecosystem for innovation and business ventures. Third, we will continue to coordinate our efforts. We will further enhance coordination between new- and high-tech development and innovation demonstration zones and tap the innovation potential of such coordination. We will create a strategic cluster to support building an innovative country and a strategic pivot to integrate into a global innovation network. We will follow the strategic direction of these three aspects, further enhance the brand-building of both kinds of zones with the aim of high-quality development and innovation, and contribute to building China's strength in science and technology. Thank you.