🚀 Recently, the Nature Index 2025 Science Cities supplement revealed a major milestone: cities in the Chinese mainland now claim more than half of the world's top ten scientific research hubs for the first time. Leading since 2016, Beijing holds onto its crown as the No. 1 global science city.
Coordinated Regional Development
Innovation is spreading beyond solo leaders. Here’s how three powerhouse regions are teaming up:
- Jing-Jin-Ji (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei): Since its launch in February 2014, this cluster has built 14 innovation platforms and seven national advanced manufacturing clusters. In 2024, its combined GDP hit 11.5 trillion yuan (around $1.6 trillion). At Zhongguancun Science Park in Xiong'an New Area, 11 Beijing-based institutions merged into a one-stop service system—giving startups top-tier resources without leaving the zone.
- Yangtze River Delta: Rooted in a rich industrial legacy, this corridor—covering Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui—now houses over 30% of the Chinese mainland's high-tech firms. The National Innovation Center par Excellence here partners with 200+ universities and research institutes, plus almost 600 leading enterprises, pushing cutting-edge R&D.
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA): The GBA has rolled out nine major tech infrastructure projects and set up 31 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao joint labs, laying a robust foundation for future breakthroughs.
🌐 Tech innovation in the Chinese mainland is clearly leveling up—from individual megacities to interconnected super-regions. As these clusters deepen collaboration, we can expect new waves of high-quality development across the nation. Stay tuned for the next frontier of breakthroughs!
Reference(s):
How China drives high-quality development through tech innovation
cgtn.com
