The China Association for Science and Technology recently issued a notice on supporting the construction of innovation-driven demonstration cities in 2023-25. Some 39 prefecture-level administrative regions were approved to build these, including Guiyang.
The goal is to create a number of regional innovation hubs with national influence and deepen the construction of pilot zones based on the theme of "Innovation China".
The notice requires relevant cities to actively integrate into the "Innovation China" platform, stimulate their innovation vitality, promote the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, and promote the deep integration of innovation, capital, talent, and industry.
Local science and technology associations are also urged to strengthen their guidance and support for the construction of innovation-driven demonstration cities, link these with the pilot zones tied to "Innovation China, and lead the majority of sci-tech workers to make contributions in service innovation and entrepreneurship.
In recent years, Guiyang and Guian New Area have worked hard to implement the innovation-driven development strategy, taking scientific and technological innovation to a new level.
In 2022, the total number of high-tech enterprises in Guiyang and Guian reached 1,337, accounting for 66.25 percent of those in Guizhou to rank first in the province.
R&D investment now stands at 8.73 billion yuan ($1.2 billion), up 18 percent year-on-year to rank at the forefront of all provincial capitals in West China.