Guangdong - Zhongshan Torch High-tech Industrial Development Zone

Zhongshan Torch High-tech Industrial Development Zone  

Facts and Figures (2007)

Source: Administration Committee of Zhongshan Torch High-tech Industrial Development Zone    

Introduction

Zhongshan Torch High-tech Industrial Development Zone (Zhongshan Torch HIDZ), located in the eastern part of Zhongshan in Guangdong Province, was approved to be a state-level development zone by the State Council in 1991. It covers a designated area of 17.1 km².

Zhongshan is situated in the central and south part of the Pearl River Delta. It is adjacent to Zhuhai and Macau to the south, Guangzhou to the north, and Jiangmen and Foshan to the west. It faces Shenzhen and Hong Kong across the sea.

Zhongshan Torch HIDZ is easily accessible via airway, waterway, railway and highways. The zone is within one hour’s drive from Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Zhuhai Airport and Hong Kong Chilajiao Airport. Zhongshan Port, a major port in China, handled 0.9 million TEUs and 6.2 million tons of cargo in 2007. Beijing-Zhuhai Highway intersects with Yixian Road and Huanmao Road in the zone. Guangzhou Railway Station, within one hour's drive from Zhongshan Torch HIDZ, offers diverse routes to all the major cities in China.

Zhongshan lacks of talents. There is no prominent university in the city. There are, however, sixteen vocational education institutes in Zhongshan, with the number of graduates hitting 7,535 in 2007.

Investment Climate

After seventeen years of development, Zhongshan Torch HIDZ has built up a National Packing and Printing Base, a National Healthcare Technology Industrial Base, the China National New and High-tech Export Base, the China National Green Food Industrial Base and the China Torch Plan Equipment Manufacturing Base in the zone.

In 2007, the GDP of Zhongshan Torch HIDZ reached RMB 18.8 billion, comprising 15.5% of Zhongshan's GDP. The gross industrial output from the zone hit RMB 71.5 billion, accounting for 19.9% of that of Zhongshan. The electronics and information industries were the largest contributors, and gained a gross industrial output of RMB 27.3 billion, contributing 38.2% of that of the zone. The exports from the zone totaled US$3.8 billion, more than one fifth of Zhongshan's total exports value.

The zone encourages investments in electronics, information technology, biology, pharmaceuticals, new materials and other high-tech industries. There were sixty-three high-tech companies in the zone in 2007. The gross industrial output from the high-tech industries surpassed RMB 58 billion in 2007, making up 81% of that of the zone.

The zone has attracted Canon, Wistron, Sumitomo Electric, China Ship-building Industry Corp, Minyang and many other firms to invest there. Minyang Group, headquartered in Zhongshan Torch HIDZ, specializes in manufacturing high- and low-volt electrical appliances, and wind power generators and equipment. It currently operates five subsidiaries, four R&D centers and one research institution in Zhongshan.

Zhongshan-based Enantiotech Corp, located in the National Healthcare Technology Industrial Base within the Zhongshan Torch HIDZ, was inaugurated in 2006 with a total investment value of US$150 million. It is a pharmaceuticals- and fine chemicals-maker.