GBA eyes major hub for high-tech development

GUANGZHOU — In a laboratory in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, researchers are using virtual reality systems to better understand how seemingly small adjustments, such as seat heating, can improve passenger comfort while reducing energy consumption.

Research data derived from the laboratory at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), combined with simulation systems developed in Hong Kong — about two to three hours' drive away — have been converted into technologies that help vehicles consume less energy without compromising comfort or safety.

"Our research had previously focused on the analysis of driver behavior with little attention paid to the cockpit environment as a potential influencing factor," said He Dengbo, head of the traffic psychology and safety lab. "So working with researchers in Hong Kong who specialize in energy consumption control and cockpit environment simulation has opened up entirely new research directions."

The collaboration illustrates how the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is combining the complementary strengths of its three regions to foster technological innovation, reinforcing its position as one of China's leading innovation hubs.

His laboratory has partnered with local automakers to turn its research findings into practical industrial applications.

"We have established a self-reinforcing cycle integrating industry, academia, research and application within the Greater Bay Area," he said.

Officially opened in 2022, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) has adopted an innovative cross-disciplinary academic structure and aims to become a leading university renowned for its interdisciplinary excellence. It currently covers 16 academic fields, including advanced materials and artificial intelligence.

It is also among a number of campuses and research institutions set up in Guangdong by Hong Kong — and Macao-based universities. Currently, universities based in Hong Kong and Macao have established 31 research and development institutions in Guangdong, while the GBA is home to 45 State key laboratories.

Spanning 56,000 square kilometers across Hong Kong, Macao and nine cities in Guangdong in the Pearl River Delta, the GBA has long been a highly interconnected economic hub, linked by a shared Cantonese dialect, convenient population mobility and integrated industrial chains. It is leveraging these advantages to foster innovation through closer integration of talent, research and industry.

Coordination among universities, enterprises and the government is essential to driving the transformation.

Guangdong has abundant scientific and educational resources, while Hong Kong and Macao have strong capabilities in basic research, frontier exploration and international collaboration, said Chen Yushan, deputy head of the Guangdong Institute of Science and Technology Information.

When it comes to advancing industrial transformation, the Pearl River Delta cities, particularly Shenzhen, which is home to one of China's leading new energy vehicle makers BYD and internet giant Tencent, can leverage their solid manufacturing base to deliver comprehensive industrial supporting services and commercialization pathways for market entities, he said.

Since 2025, the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone in Shenzhen has facilitated the commercialization of 123 research projects from Hong Kong universities.

Many of them follow the pattern of Hong Kong-based basic research, Shenzhen-based commercialization, Greater Bay Area-based manufacturing, and listing in Hong Kong before marketing overseas.

A similar pattern is found in Hengqin, an island district of Zhuhai in the Pearl River Delta adjacent to Macao. There, the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone has enabled innovative traditional Chinese medicine developed in Macao to be manufactured in Hengqin, which facilitates the commercialization process.

Wu Song, chairman of the TCM Science and Technology Industrial Park of Co-operation between Guangdong and Macao in the zone, said that the collaboration between Hengqin and Macao will further link abundant traditional Chinese medicine resources on the Chinese mainland with strong demand in overseas markets.

"This will offer an effective model for both the innovation-driven development of the TCM industry and the appropriately diversified development of Macao's economy," Wu said.

Zhang Zhansheng, deputy director of the provincial department of science and technology, said Guangdong will further coordinate with Hong Kong and Macao to promote research in pioneering fields such as AI, life and health sciences, quantum technology and the low-altitude economy.

The three regions will also strengthen their collaboration across the entire chain from technology R&D to business incubation and industrial development, he said.

XINHUA-CHINA DAILY