350b yuan invested in transport network

Guangdong will invest more than 350 billion yuan ($48.62 billion) in a network of roads, waterways and railways this year, according to the Guangdong Provincial Department of Transport. With a total investment of more than 230 billion yuan, the province will step up the expansion of 48 expressways, totaling approximately 1,927 kilometers. To build the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area on Rail" at an enhanced level, Guangdong will invest 120 billion yuan in railways including nine high-speed lines across the province. In 2023, the province invested 346.9 billion yuan in roads, waterways and railways, a year-on-year increase of 10.2 percent. The total mileage of expressways reached 11,481 km, ranking first for 10 consecutive years in China.

Dialogue among youths from across world

On March 2, the Dialogue on International Bay Area Youth Driving High-Quality Development was held in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province. The event witnessed the presence of nearly 400 representatives from diverse industries, including those from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in China; Tokyo Bay Area in Japan; San Francisco Bay Area and New York Bay Area in the United States; as well as young talents from both domestic and international backgrounds. The event aimed to spark discussions on how young people in the GBA can contribute to significant initiatives, such as the "High-Quality Development Projects for Guangdong Counties, Towns and Villages" projects, talent development and industrial technological innovation. It also sought to promote the convergence of overseas high-level talents in industrial and technological innovation.

Food industry conference to be held in Foshan

The Second China International (Foshan) Premade Food Industry Conference is scheduled to take place in Shunde, Foshan, on March 15-17. During the event, China's first national premade food industry chain safety standard system will be revealed. Guangdong has established a working system for the high-quality development of the premade food industry, providing policy support and creating 11 provincial premade food industrial parks. The province has ranked first in the country for three consecutive years in terms of its premade food industry development index.

Activities set to boost cross-border e-commerce

The Guangdong Provincial Department of Commerce launched a series of activities to foster the province's cross-border e-commerce and industrial belts in Shantou in eastern Guangdong on Feb 27. Nearly 600 representatives from local commerce bureaus in the east of the province, as well as SHEIN, Amazon, TikTok, JD, 1688, Tmall, Alibaba and other global leading cross-border e-commerce platforms and service providers, attended the activities. Nearly 50 exhibition booths were set up for cross-border e-commerce service providers to display products — such as textiles, garments and toys — and get in touch with their clients.

China's longest intl flight to be launched

China Southern Airlines is to operate the Shenzhen-Mexico City-Tijuana (stopover)-Shenzhen route, the country's longest international flight and the seventh-longest globally. The maiden flight is scheduled for April 17. From April 22 to Oct 26, the route will operate every Monday and Thursday using either a Boeing 787-9 or A350 aircraft. The great circle distance from Shenzhen to Mexico City is 14,147 kilometers, longer than the 12,878 km flight from Guangzhou to New York.

Air taxi cuts Shenzhen-Zhuhai travel time

On Feb 27, the Prosperity eVTOL(electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft simulated a family traveling from Shekou Cruise Home Port in Shenzhen to Jiuzhou Port Terminal in Zhuhai. The flight took just 20 minutes, compared with a car journey of two-and-a-half to three hours. It marked the first public demonstration of the world's first intercity, intersea eVTOL aircraft route, connecting the two core cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The round trip is more than 100 kilometers.