High-quality development

As a junction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Hainan Free Trade Port, the Beibu Gulf Economic Zone of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and the new western land-sea corridor, Zhanjiang is trying to become a subcenter city in Guangdong province, in hopes of contributing to the development of the modern coastal economic belt.

In recent years, the city has welcomed major projects, many with an investment of over $10 billion, including a refining project from Sinopec Group.

These projects provide great opportunities to Zhanjiang and require a higher-standard platform to support a new round of opening-up, local officials said.

The comprehensive bonded area is such a platform to help Zhanjiang integrate into the greater Bay Area, the Hainan Free Trade Port and the Beibu Gulf city cluster, thus creating a development platform with more advantages.

The comprehensive bonded area in Zhanjiang is helping the city to further open up. CHINA DAILY

As a coastal city, Zhanjiang boasts rich maritime resources. The city said it will utilize the preferential policies of the comprehensive bonded area to attract more investors in the maritime industry in an effort to increase economic added value as well as to promote the transformation and upgrading of relevant industries in Zhanjiang and even in western Guangdong.

Trade and cooperation

As a port city with the shortest sea routes to Southeast Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania in the Chinese mainland, Zhanjiang has huge economic potential.

The comprehensive bonded area helps Zhanjiang to integrate into the international ocean economic system to deepen its trade cooperation with those countries while also attracting transnational manufacturing corporations and promoting international exchanges, local officials said.

As a pilot area for Guangdong province to participate in the cooperation among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Zhanjiang has welcomed some 20 enterprises from ASEAN members and founded 11 companies in these countries in recent years.

The bonded area will provide strong support for the city in communicating with ASEAN members, local officials said.

It will utilize international and domestic markets to promote trade and investment between China and ASEAN members, according to local officials.