Cutting-edge knowledge city takes shape

The Sino-Singapore center in Guangzhou aims to become a high-tech hub for South China, by attracting world-class companies

Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City in Guangzhou - a smart eco technology center being developed to showcase the latest in sustainable development - will take measures to attract more leading companies and institutions, officials said.

These will aim at developing the facility, a 123-square-kilometer green-field township in Guangzhou, into a high-tech hub in South China.

The knowledge city was selected as one of the core platforms that support the Guangzhou-Shenzhen science and technology innovation corridor construction in Guangdong province, which involves the cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Dongguan.

"As a core platform for constructing the corridor, SSGKC will enhance infrastructure construction and continue to expand its transportation network," said Xu Hui, deputy director of the development and construction office of SSGKC.

An extension of subway line 14, connecting SSGKC and other parts of Guangzhou, will go into operation by the end this month.

Guangzhou-Dongguan-Shenzhen Intercity Railway and another three subway lines are under construction, laying foundations as a strategic node of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

"SSGKC will make efforts to build public facilities with international standards to create a good living and working environment for businesses and residents," said Tan Minghe, director of the development and construction office of SSGKC.

The construction of sports venues and ecological footpaths have started. Hospitals, schools, an international conference center, a museum and a library will be built soon.

More than 900 companies, with combined registered capital of 100 billion yuan ($15.4 billion), had committed to being in the new knowledge city as of the end of November.

The city is home to leading companies such as BeiGene and US giant General Electric.

Expanding cooperation

The Sino-Singapore International Joint Research Institute was established by SSGKC to strengthen Chinese and Singaporean cooperation in academic fields.

The South China University of Technology in Guangzhou and Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, founding members of the institution, will draw on their resources and experience in leading roles internationally to further develop its innovation and high-tech industries.

With the technological advantages of the two founding universities, the institute has launched the first phase of projects in pollution control, new energy, biomedical materials, artificial intelligence, green and smart architecture, food nutrition and safety .

Yu Long, director of the institute, said that the institute aims to transform high-tech research results into industrial products and bring about economic benefits.

To date, the institute has launched 24 industrial projects and 16 of them are collaborative projects between China and Singapore.

"The institute is an open platform that explores an advanced model for international cooperation, which is a win-win for industrial transformation," Yu said.

"In addition to the South China University of Technology and Nanyang Technological University, we will invite suitable international universities to join us in the future."

Designated as a national experimental zone for conducting comprehensive reforms on intellectual property right use and protection by the State Council, SSGKC will welcome an important partner, the Patent Examination Cooperation Center of the State Intellectual Property Office in Guangdong, in February.

The office is currently operating in the Guangzhou Development District.

The center performs patent invention application assessment, carries out international patent search and international preliminary examinations of applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty.

This provides technical and legal consultation services to companies regarding patent applications and protection.

The center can handle more than 150,000 cases every year covering machinery, electricity, communication, medicine, chemistry, optoelectronics and materials sectors.

"We also hope to provide consultation services to more small and medium-sized companies, to bring them more technological inspiration and help them improve their technology layout in the future," said Qiu Jiangwen, deputy director of the center.

On Nov 16, the Guangzhou International Intelligence Industry Center was officially established with the aim of building a government-enterprise joint service platform to help with brand promotion and attracting investment.

Eleven companies, including Xiuzheng Pharmaceutical Group and Neusoft Group, have signed cooperative agreements in the medical, finance, internet education and industrial design sectors.

Biopharma development

Echoing the Guangzhou government's promotion of information technology, artificial intelligence, biochemical, new energy and materials sectors, SSGKC has launched many new projects to promote the development of relevant industries.

Pioneer biotech company Hybribio, which started operations in SSKGC in 2013, is a leading provider of diagnostics in China. It has an integrated operation chain in research and development, manufacturing, sales and marketing as well as technical support services.

"Hybribio is devoting itself to building the first platform to check maternal and infant healthcare in China," said Kun Tit Sang, deputy general manager of the company.

The company is providing products and services to over 1,200 hospitals and medical institutes in China.

Last October, Hybribio's flow-through hybridization technology was awarded the 18th WIPO-SIPO joint China Patent Gold Medal, among 20 other leading companies including Sinopec and Huawei. It was the only molecular diagnostic enterpriser to receive the award.

"One of our goals is to foster a long-lasting cooperative relationship with our partners," said Zhou Xia, deputy director of Hybribio's marketing department.

"It is always our mission to provide the local community with a quality service and comprehensive testing."

caoyingying@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 12/06/2017 page23)