Guiyang and Gui'an power ahead with innovation and green industry

A new car rolls off the production line in Guiyang. [Photo/Guiyang Daily]

Guiyang City and Gui'an New Area are rapidly advancing into a new era of industrial innovation and green growth. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), the region's industrial economy has achieved a major breakthrough – in 2023, the industrial added value surpassed 100 billion yuan ($14 billion), with total output exceeding 400 billion yuan and a compound growth rate of 7.5 percent, consistently outpacing the region's GDP growth.

A worker on the processing line in a workshop based in Guiyang. [Photo/Guiyang Daily]

According to the national innovation-oriented city innovation capacity evaluation report 2024, Guiyang ranked 27th out of 101 innovative cities nationwide and 4th among 20 cities in western China, making it one of the top-performing innovation-driven regions.

Guided by its six key industries – electronic information manufacturing, equipment manufacturing, phosphorus and phosphate chemicals, aluminum and aluminum processing, health and pharmaceuticals, and ecological specialty foods – Guiyang and Gui'an are building a distinctive modern industrial base.

In equipment manufacturing, the region has developed a robust industrial system centered on aerospace, auto parts, and construction machinery. In phosphate chemicals and aluminum industries, the supply chain continues to expand, forming an integrated system that spans from bauxite mining and alumina refining to aluminum smelting and processing, while also advancing the production of nonmetallic products such as abrasives, refractory materials, and proppants.

Mechanical arms in a workshop based in Guiyang. [Photo/Guiyang Daily]

By 2024, the added value generated by industrial enterprises above a designated size in Guiyang had grown by about 10 percent. The added value of the six key industries grew from 9.7 percent in 2021 to 18 percent, now accounting for 64.7 percent of the city's total industrial output – becoming the main driver of industrial expansion.

Meanwhile, Guiyang and Gui'an remain committed to green development. The area now hosts 40 national-level green factories, nine green industrial parks, and six green supply chain enterprises, forming an increasingly comprehensive low-carbon industrial system.

In the first half of this year, Guiyang's high-tech manufacturing sector grew by 34.6 percent year on year. The added value of new energy batteries and materials surged by 130.9 percent, while the new energy vehicle industry grew by 30.1 percent.

Currently, Guiyang and Gui'an boast eight national-level innovation platforms and 36 specialized and innovative little giant enterprises, providing a strong foundation for innovation-driven development.