GUANGDONG TO FOCUS ON ROBOTICS, 6G, QUANTUM TECHNOLOGIES IN NEXT FIVE-YEAR PLAN

KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Bernama) -- Guangdong outlined plans to deepen its focus on emerging technologies such as robotics, 6G communications and quantum computing as China prepares its next five-year economic plan.

According to a statement, officials from the southern province outlined their priorities during an open meeting with journalists on March 6 on the sidelines of China’s National People’s Congress in Beijing, the country’s annual parliamentary session.

As China’s largest provincial economy and a key hub of global manufacturing, Guangdong has long been one of the main engines of the country’s export-driven economy. The province is home to major manufacturing and technology clusters in cities such as Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Dongguan.

Guangdong accounts for roughly one-tenth of China’s economic output, with local authorities increasingly emphasising innovation and technological upgrading in recent years as global competition in advanced industries intensifies.

Communist Party secretary of Guangdong, Huang Kunming said the province aims to play a leading role in China’s economic and technological development during the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026 to 2030) and will continue to promote closer integration between industrial development and scientific research.

Officials also highlighted the role of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, a regional initiative linking nine mainland cities with the two special administrative regions.

According to provincial figures, the mainland cities in the cluster recorded foreign trade growth of 4.4 per cent and an 11.3 per cent increase in utilised foreign investment despite global economic headwinds.

Looking ahead, Guangdong plans to cultivate large industrial clusters in emerging sectors, including next-generation telecommunications such as 6G; the low-altitude economy involving drone and aerial mobility technologies; and embodied artificial intelligence for robotics applications.

Provincial leaders also signalled a stronger push to expand the service sector alongside Guangdong’s vast manufacturing base, reflecting a broader policy direction in China to sustain growth through more technology-driven industries and higher-value services.

-- BERNAMA