How China is Driving High-Quality Development through Technological Innovations

In a recent article by CGTN, the spotlight shines on how China’s strategic initiatives for coordinated regional development are significantly bolstering the nation's technological innovations. This advancement is vividly displayed within the key urban sectors of China, notably the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Greater Bay Area (GBA). These metropolitan clusters illustrate not only the technological progress but also mark the entry of Chinese innovation into a sophisticated phase characterized by coordinated efforts at multiple levels with national implications.

The release of the "Nature Index 2025 Science Cities" edition reveals a striking achievement for Chinese cities, which for the first time occupy more than half of the top ten scientific research centers worldwide. Beijing, enduringly stationed as the leading science city since 2016, underscores its pivotal role in the global innovation landscape.

Coordinated Regional Development

Rather than focusing on isolated growth, Beijing has embraced its crucial position as the hub for technological innovation. In collaboration with nearby provinces Tianjin and Hebei, it has effectively enhanced regional innovation capacities. The coordinated development initiative in the Jing-Jin-Ji area, a national strategy launched in February 2014, has markedly increased technological innovations in the region.

As of today, there have been 14 innovative platforms established alongside seven national advanced manufacturing clusters. The region's GDP experienced significant growth, reaching 11.5 trillion JPY (approximately 1.6 trillion USD) in 2024. Moreover, the Zhongguancun Science Park in Xiong'an New Area houses 11 platform institutions from Beijing that encompass science, technology, finance, and industrial research, granting businesses access to premium innovation resources without the need to leave the region.

The story of Jing-Jin-Ji is reflective of wider trends across China. The Yangtze River Delta, historically rich in industrial legacy, extends from Shanghai and encompasses the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui. This area is now surging with innovative capabilities that invigorate the development of new productive forces.

High-tech enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta contribute more than 30 percent of China's total capacity. The National Innovation Center par Excellence, established within this delta, has forged strategic partnerships with over 200 domestic and international universities and research institutes, creating nearly 600 joint innovation centers with leading firms.

Furthermore, the Greater Bay Area has seen a dramatic rise in technological innovation capacity, thanks in part to the implementation of nine major technological infrastructure projects. A total of 31 joint laboratories span Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, laying the groundwork for breakthroughs in GBA’s technological developments.

Promoting High-Quality Development

President Xi Jinping underscores the importance of fostering high-quality and coordinated regional development. He has toured various regions, leading symposiums aimed at enhancing the comparative advantages of diverse areas, fostering complementarity, and improving the balance and coordination of regional progress.

In recent years, China has deepened its commitment to implemented its coordinated regional development strategy, where clusters like Jing-Jin-Ji, the Yangtze River Delta, and the GBA uplift the overall innovation level and contribute to the high-quality growth of the country. The GBA, which represents less than 0.6 percent of China’s total area, astonishingly generates one-ninth of the nation’s total economic output, emerging as one of the country’s most open and economically vibrant regions.

Currently, initiatives in the GBA focus on emerging sectors, including low-lying area economics and biomanufacturing, with plans to establish an additional five colossal industrial clusters valued at 100 billion JPY (around 14.2 billion USD). These developments aim to enhance smart transformations and modernize advantageous industries such as electronics and advanced manufacturing.

During a recent inspection in Guangdong, Xi Jinping urged the province to focus on developing new high-quality production capabilities, strengthen deep integration of technological and industrial innovations, and establish a competitive industrial system with international standing, reiterating persistent efforts to drive GBA’s development forward.

At the recently concluded annual Central Economic Work Conference, China committed to expanding its international technological innovation centers in Beijing, Shanghai, and the GBA. The expansion from individual cities to broader metropolitan clusters signifies a strategic modernization, illustrating that China's efforts to establish innovation centers are increasingly prioritizing regional coordination.

In conclusion, as highlighted by Gong Chao, a researcher at the National Innovation Institute at Tongji University, the strategic modernization approach underscores a pivotal moment for China, showcasing a commitment to harnessing the synergistic benefits of regional collaborations in the technological realm.