On February 24, the first working day after the Lunar New Year, Guangdong held its "First Meeting of the New Year"—the Provincial High-Quality Development Conference in Guangzhou. This annual gathering has long served as a barometer for the province’s yearly priorities, with this year’s theme focusing on "promoting the coordinated development of manufacturing and services." The fact that this meeting has been convened for four consecutive years sends a clear message: high-quality development is not just a slogan but a concrete action plan.

The lineup of corporate representatives this year was particularly impressive. Speakers included Liang Hua, Chairman of Huawei; Xu Yangtian, Founder and Chairman of Guangzhou Shein International Import & Export Co.; Hu Jianjun, Vice President of Siemens China; Zuo Ding, Party Secretary and Chairman of Shenzhen Capital Group; and Li Zexiang, Founder of XbotPark Robotics Base, Dean of Shenzhen Institute of Science and Technology, and Professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Among them, Xu Yangtian made a rare public appearance.

Interestingly, on the same day and in the same city, another internet heavyweight was also making moves. Liu Qiangdong, Founder of JD.com, signed three agreements with Zhuhai and Shenzhen for his newly established yacht brand, Sea Expandary, investing 5 billion yuan to build a full industrial chain for yachts in Guangdong. The active participation of these business leaders reflects a meaningful "two-way commitment" to Guangdong’s high-quality development journey.

But who are these prominent figures, and what do their moves signify?

Liang Hua of Huawei revealed that the company’s sales revenue exceeded 880 billion yuan in 2025—equivalent to earning 2.4 billion yuan daily. As a leading player in Guangdong’s manufacturing upgrade, Huawei is empowering "Guangdong Smart Manufacturing" with its HarmonyOS and AI technologies.

Xu Yangtian’s story is even more remarkable. Starting a decade ago in Panyu, his business now spans over 160 countries and regions, with platform exports surpassing 100 billion yuan in 2025. He emotionally noted, "Every step of Shein’s growth has been nurtured by Guangdong’s fertile soil."

Hu Jianjun of Siemens emphasized that Guangdong is "becoming an irreplaceable investment hotspot in the eyes of multinational corporations." The industrial giant has established a significant presence in the province, including two operating enterprises, two joint ventures, and four R&D innovation centers.

Zuo Ding announced major news: the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Fund, a national venture capital guidance fund totaling 50.45 billion yuan, has been set up in Shenzhen—the first national-level mother fund to be hosted in Guangdong. He described the province as "China’s most suitable ground for innovation and entrepreneurship, the best stage for original dreams, and the sharpest sword for competing in global advanced manufacturing."

Li Zexiang, who has incubated over 270 hard-tech companies in Guangdong with a total valuation exceeding 350 billion yuan, quoted NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang: "The Greater Bay Area is the only region in the world that combines electromechanical integration with AI technology."

Though not a speaker at the conference, Liu Qiangdong made headlines the same day. His 5-billion-yuan investment in yacht manufacturing signals ambitious commercial intent. Yachts represent the "last and highest-end gap" in China’s civil vessel sector, with over 90% of the global market dominated by European and American companies. Liu aims to fill this gap with new energy and smart technologies.

From local champions to international giants, traditional manufacturing to digital innovation, financial capital to tech incubation—the conference showcased a top-tier assembly of stakeholders. According to the "Guangdong Manufacturing and Services Synergy Development White Paper" released at the event, the province plans to establish over 50 distinctive productive service clusters, aligning closely with corporate demands.

Why are so many business leaders "voting with their feet" for Guangdong? A closer look reveals three key advantages.

First, Guangdong’s industrial chain is exceptionally robust. As the nation’s top manufacturing province, manufacturing accounts for one-third of its GDP. It produces 90% of China’s drones and 40% of its industrial robots. Shein’s "small-order, quick-response" model thrives because every link—from garment factories in Panyu to logistics parks in Baiyun—can be efficiently coordinated within a compact radius. Li Zexiang highlighted that even compared to Silicon Valley, the Greater Bay Area offers 10–30 times faster iteration at one-tenth the cost. This deep integration of manufacturing and services is not easily replicable.

Liu Qiangdong is also tapping into this robust chain. His investment in Zhuhai’s Pingsha Yacht Industrial Park, which has nurtured over 30 enterprises over 20 years, offers a full suite of services from design to maintenance. Meanwhile, Shenzhen’s marine economy reached 540.9 billion yuan in 2024, with marine tourism growing by 11.6%. With 12,500 registered yachts in neighboring Hong Kong, Guangdong uniquely combines production capability with consumption power.

Second, Guangdong’s business environment is remarkably supportive. Xu Yangtian praised the "non-intrusive, responsive" governance that enabled Shein to confidently locate its supply chain headquarters in Guangzhou. Siemens was similarly attracted by Shenzhen’s "pioneering reforms, high-level openness, strong innovation capacity, and seamless investment services," leading it to establish its first digital platform interconnection base in Qianhai.

Liu Qiangdong shared his own experience: JD.com’s sales in Guangdong grew from 100,000 yuan in 2007 to over 220 billion yuan last year. He stated, "Guangdong’s business environment and returns to investors give me full confidence to develop my second career here." Data supports this: in 2025, Guangdong hosted over 20.377 million market entities, with a 23% year-on-year increase in enterprises. Reforms like "same-day registration" and "barrier-free cross-region relocation" have eased operational burdens.

Third, Guangdong’s policy incentives are substantial. In July 2025, the province launched a 200-billion-yuan loan discount program for manufacturing and high-tech firms, offering up to 20 million yuan per enterprise. By year-end, 230 million yuan had been disbursed to over 14,000 companies. The Greater Bay Area Fund, alongside the "Spark Loan" program that provided 340 billion yuan to 770,000 small businesses, ensures ample financial support.

For the yacht industry, policies are particularly targeted. In November 2024, Guangdong issued an action plan aiming for a 100-billion-yuan yacht industry by 2027. Regulations also promote yacht management reforms and regional mutual recognition within the Greater Bay Area, breaking down long-standing administrative barriers.

The province is committed to overcoming outdated regulations to boost emerging sectors like low-altitude economy, autonomous driving, and embodied AI. In 2025, drone and industrial robot output grew by 39% and 31.2%, respectively, signaling strong momentum as the 15th Five-Year Plan begins.

But commitment goes beyond words. Shein plans to invest over 10 billion yuan in a smart supply chain headquarters and pilot "cross-border e-commerce + industrial belt" projects in the next three years. Siemens is preparing to build an industrial AI innovation base, while Huawei continues to expand its Harmony ecosystem. Shenzhen Capital Group aims to channel billions into seed-stage and startup enterprises through the Greater Bay Area Fund.

Liu Qiangdong is pursuing a "twin-city" strategy: a 5-billion-yuan headquarters in Qianhai for branding and supply chain coordination, and a manufacturing base in Zhuhai for new energy and smart technologies. He has already secured orders for five 72-meter catamaran yachts, priced at 60 million yuan each, but emphasizes the long-term vision of nurturing a domestic yacht industry.

As Xu Yangtian aims to make "Guangdong Smart Manufacturing" a global benchmark in fashion, and Liu Qiangdong positions Guangdong as a key player in the yacht industry, a world-class industrial cluster is taking shape in the region. These efforts are reshaping Guangdong’s economic landscape, creating a virtuous cycle where manufacturing upgrades drive service advances, and vice versa.

As the 15th Five-Year Plan begins, Guangdong’s fourth consecutive "First Meeting of the New Year" reaffirms its dedication to high-quality growth. From "rebuilding a new Guangdong" to "synergizing manufacturing and services," the themes evolve, but the relentless pursuit of excellence remains constant.

Entrepreneurs are demonstrating through action: choosing Guangdong means growing with a dynamic economy; rooting in Guangdong means tapping into China’s most innovative soil. As the sail is raised and the journey begins, Guangdong stands as the vital starting point toward industrial aspirations. A modern economic system, deeply integrating manufacturing and services, is rapidly taking shape in this vibrant land.