Nansha IT Park Launched: Aiming to Help Development of Hong Kong and Pearl River Delta

Press Release 29 December 2002

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The Nansha Information Technology Park, developed to assist in propelling the Pearl River Delta to the forefront of technological achievement and to create commercial benefits for industries in the region, was launched today (29 December).

The Park is unique for the partnerships it has fostered through the collaboration of the Fok Ying Tung Foundation, the Guangzhou Government, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).

Its mission is to nurture high technology start-ups, expand opportunities for Hong Kong companies, and enhance the competitiveness of industries in the Pearl River Delta region. The Park will comprise a conference and training center, software technology zones, an R&D center, technical service center, first-class office space offering high-speed Internet connectivity, and residential and recreational facilities all set within beautifully landscaped Chinese gardens. Phase One, which covers 15 hectares, was officially launched today.

By its completion in 2010, the Nansha IT Park will cover 250 hectares and accommodate nearly 10,000 hi-tech professionals, entrepreneurs and their families. It will become South China’s premiere center for innovation and entrepreneurship. With the input of expertise from HKUST, the Park will provide world-class support for technological developments and professional training in high-tech fields such as electronic packaging, opto-electronics, micro-systems, bio-medical devices, logistics and supply chain management.

The officiating party at today’s launch ceremony included Mr Henry Fok Ying Tung, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Committee and Chairman of the Foundation; Prof Liu Yanhua, Vice Minister of Science and Technology; Prof Zhang Xinsheng, Vice Minister of Education; Mr Lin Shusen, Mayor of Guangzhou; Messrs Zhang Guangning and Lin Yuanhe, Vice Mayors of Guangzhou; and Prof Otto Lin, Vice-President for Research and Development at HKUST. Other dignitaries included Prof Ambrose King, Vice Chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prof F B Liu, President of the South China University of Technology, and high-ranking members of the Guangdong Provincial leadership.

“The vision of the project is to promote collaboration between Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and the Pearl River Delta in building a world class technological metropolis for the 21st

century. Nansha, situated at the heart of this emerging metropolis, is strategically the ideal platform on which to fulfil this vision,” said Prof Otto Lin.

Ten companies from Hong Kong, the US, and Taiwan are already operating from a temporary site within Park and the technology community, both regionally and internationally, has shown significant interest in the project. “The Park will be characterized by its global orientation, technology intensity, and forward-looking perspective. We seek to facilitate the developments of hi-tech entrepreneurs worldwide as well as enterprises in the region by creating knowledge and value. The Park will be a catalyst to speed up the transformation of the Pearl River Delta into a knowledge-based economy, ” said Prof Lin.

HKUST is responsible for the conceptualization and design of the Park, project management, training and development. The Fok Ying Tung Foundation provides the land, capital, and facilitates work on community development, while the Guangzhou Government provides support in policy, transportation and infrastructure.

A master plan for the future development of Greater Guangzhou earmarks Nansha at its center. A direct subway link from Guangzhou to Nansha is being constructed and the Mayor of Guangzhou, Mr Lin Shusen, said he hopes the Nansha IT Park will play a pivotal role in the future economic and social development of the region. He has also pledged support for the Park as a showcase for future cooperation between Hong Kong and Guangzhou for the benefit of the region.