The overall plans for the construction of the Shantou Port Economic Zone and the Zhanjiang Port Economic Zone were recently released, as announced at a press conference held by the Guangdong Provincial Government Information Office on February 21.

According to the two plans, the total planned area for the Shantou Port Economic Zone is 104.93 square kilometers, while the total planned area for the Zhanjiang Port Economic Zone is 148.81 square kilometers.

Shantou and Zhanjiang are sub-central cities of Guangdong Province, strategically located within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, at the intersection of key regional development initiatives, including the coastal city clusters linking Guangdong, Fujian, and Zhejiang, the Hainan Free Trade Port, and the New Western Land-Sea Corridor.

The primary goal of the plan is to leverage the unique advantages of Guangdong's manufacturing industry and industrial supply chains, aiming to create world-class port-side industrial clusters and port economic zones. By 2030, the two Zones aim to gather key links and enterprises in the industrial chain, becoming important destinations for domestic and international industrial transfer and models for international capacity cooperation.

The functional positioning of the Shantou Port Economic Zone is defined as an important engine supporting high-quality development, a comprehensive trade and shipping center for the southeast coast, and a gateway for industrial openness and cooperation.

The functional positioning of the Zhanjiang Port Economic Zone is defined as a key node for the coordinated development of national strategies, a bridge for industrial collaboration with ASEAN, and a new platform for connecting domestic and international industrial development.

The two plans clearly outline five key tasks: strengthening port area construction, building distinctive port-side industrial clusters, optimizing the business environment, promoting reform and innovation, and facilitating the orderly transfer of industries.

The Zhanjiang Port Economic Zone will capitalize on its local resources and the advantages of major projects such as Baosteel, ZhongKe (Guangdong) Refinery & Petrochemical, and BASF. It aims to develop into an export processing and service support base oriented towards the ASEAN market and serving Chinese enterprises. Over the past three years, the Zhanjiang Port Economic Zone has attracted over 100 industrial projects, with a total investment exceeding 42 billion yuan. The industrial added value in 2024 increased by 93.9% year-on-year.

The Shantou Port Economic Zone will leverage its rich marine resources and industrial foundation, focusing on developing port-side manufacturing clusters and modern port-side service clusters, with a particular focus on creating an export-oriented industrial hub. This includes the development of industries such as new energy, new materials, biomedicine, and food processing, along with the construction of an international offshore wind power innovation port. Shantou's cultural and humanistic advantages as a hometown of overseas Chinese also play an important role in international trade cooperation.