Guangdong announces first decision on innovation-driven development

Guangdong will strive to capture commanding heights in new- and high-tech industries and strategic emerging industries by focusing on core technologies in eight major areas, including integrated circuit chips for the computing and communications industries, with the aim of achieving a technology self-sufficiency rate of 78% by 2020.

The Guangdong Department of Science and Technology earlier circulated the Decision of Guangdong Provincial People's Government on Comprehensively Deepening the Reform of the Science and Technology System and Accelerating Innovation-Driven Development. This Decision is the first document promulgated in China after the 3rd Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee on the top-level design for deepening the reform of the science and technology system and implementing the innovation-driven development strategy. It makes clear the goal of basically completing the building of an open regional innovation system and an innovative economy by 2020. It also calls for efforts to bring about the transition from factor-driven to innovation-driven development and to approach or exceed the level of moderately innovation-oriented countries and regions in key innovation indicators.

Focusing on core technologies in eight major areas

The Decision sets the targets of increasing R&D expenditure as a proportion of regional GDP to 2.8% and achieving a technology self-sufficiency rate of 78% by 2020. The province expects to see more than 10.7 invention patent applications per 100 R&D personnel and own more than 19 invention patents per 10,000 people. The ratio of value added of high-tech manufacturing to value added of industry should reach 28% and the ratio of value added of strategic emerging industries to GDP should reach about 16%. Public scientific literacy should exceed 7%.

The Decision stresses the need to give play to the supportive and leading role of science and technology innovation in promoting economic and social transformation and upgrade. Guangdong will organise the implementation of major science and technology projects on core technologies and draw up implementation plans for major science and technology projects in the province in a bid to capture the commanding heights in high-tech and strategic emerging industries. Priority will be given to research on integrated circuit chips for the computing and communications industries, mobile internet technology and devices, cloud computing and big-data management technology, as well as new printing and display materials, visible light communication technology and standardised LED modules, smart industrial robots, new power batteries for alternative energy vehicles, and stem cell and tissue engineering.