NANSHAN District had the highest GDP among all districts in Guangdong Province for the first half of this year. The district’s GDP reached 194 billion yuan (US$28.8 billion), which outpaced Tianhe District in Guangzhou by 1 billion yuan, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported yesterday.

Statistics released by the Nanshan District Government last week showed that the district’s GDP was above 194 billion yuan in the first half of the year, with a year-on-year growth of 9 percent. Meanwhile, data from Tianhe District in Guangzhou showed that the district’s GDP in the first half year was 193 billion yuan.

According to some experts, Nanshan District has an industry-led economy and many industrial companies in the district usually receive payments in the second half of the year, which suggests the GDP in the district will have grown even more rapidly by the end of the year.

The spokesperson for the development and reform bureau in Nanshan District said the district’s outstanding performance in the second quarter has laid a solid foundation for generating the highest GDP in Guangdong this year.

Tax revenue in Nanshan District reached 75.8 billion yuan in the first half of the year, which was the highest in Guangdong and 2.5 times the tax revenue in Tianhe District.

A total of 120 industrial enterprises above the designated size were introduced to Nanshan District in the first half of this year, while fixed-asset investment in the district reached 40.8 billion yuan, the highest in Shenzhen.

Additionally, 12 major projects were launched in Nanshan District in the first half of the year, accounting for one-third of major projects in the city. Currently, over 50 industrial projects have been launched at four headquarter bases in the district.

In a bid to tackle the shortage of land resources in Nanshan District, the district’s development and reform bureau said it would renovate old industrial areas, increase land use efficiency and expedite the reorganization of land resources in Nantou heliport and Shuguang warehouse area.

The head of Nanshan District, Wang Qiang, said the district government will ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises can also enjoy favorable policies in the district.

According to Wang, even if companies in Nanshan District want to move their manufacturing centers elsewhere, the district should try to keep the R&D and settlement centers of these companies in the district to boost the headquarters economy.

(Zhang Yang)