SHENZHEN is intensifying efforts to become a global leader in advanced manufacturing. Throughout 2023, the city’s industrial added value for enterprises at and above a designated scale surged to 4.8 trillion yuan (US$670.4 billion). Let’s delve into the 10 key highlights exemplifying the city’s strides in industrialization in 2023.

1. SZ-made tech products

Shenzhen’s enterprises invested an impressive 178.46 million yuan in research and development (R&D), accounting for 94.9% of the city’s total R&D investment, leading the nation. The release of groundbreaking products such as Huawei’s Mate 60 series with satellite calling capabilities and Honor’s ultra-slim and light foldable phone, Magic V2, showcased Shenzhen’s technological prowess. In addition, Yangwang U8, unveiled by Shenzhen-headquartered BYD, and AITO M9, equipped with Huawei’s intelligent automotive full-stack technology, highlighted the cutting-edge technologies of high-end new-energy vehicle production.

2. World-class auto city

Shenzhen is in full swing to become a new-generation world-class auto city. The city doubled its production volume of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in 2023, reaching a total of 960,000 NEVs. BYD’s sale of 3.02 million NEVs denoted a remarkable surge of 61.9% year on year.

3. Premium AI models

Shenzhen unveiled a strategic action plan to propel the high-quality development of artificial intelligence (AI), leading to the introduction of universal large models such as Huawei Cloud Pangu Models 3.0, Tencent Hunyuan, and Intellifusion Tianhu in 2023.

4. Server market share

The city made substantial strides in advancing OpenHarmony and openEuler, with OpenHarmony installed in over 700 million devices and openEuler capturing 40% of the Chinese server market share.

5. High-rise factories

Shenzhen initiated the construction of 75 factory premises in customized high-rises, aimed at providing over 20 million square meters of industrial space.

6. SME-friendly environment

Shenzhen ranked first in terms of environment for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in 2022, according to an evaluation report published in February last year. In addition, Shenzhen fostered the establishment of 309 new specialized SMEs, bringing the total count to 742.

7. Leading in the 5G era

Shenzhen built over 10,000 new 5G base stations in 2023, reaching a total of 75,000. The city achieved a 100% 5G network access rate in key locations, while its public places WiFi platform served residents nearly 300 million times, saving about 170 million yuan in data charges.

8. Advanced manufacturing

Shenzhen witnessed the launch of several major advanced manufacturing projects, attracting renowned domestic and international companies such as Siemens, STAR-TRAC, BWI Group, and Bihu Technology Co. Ltd., alongside fostering collaboration with leading State-owned enterprises. Throughout the year, the advanced manufacturing sector successfully attracted eight projects each worth more than 10 billion yuan, over 80 projects each worth more than 1 billion yuan, and a total investment amount exceeding 400 billion yuan.

9. SparkLink Alliance

The Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone welcomed SparkLink Alliance, a significant international organization that introduced a short-range wireless technology standard.

10. Intl. exchanges

Shenzhen hosted the China-ASEAN Forum on Emerging Industries, resulting in strategic cooperation agreements worth over 5 billion yuan.

Furthermore, the China (Shenzhen, Hong Kong)-ASEAN (Kuala Lumpur) Emerging Industries Matchmaking Meeting concluded with 22 cooperation agreements valued at more than 10 billion yuan, underscoring Shenzhen’s commitment to international industrial cooperation.

(Chen Siqi)