In light of the Research Report on the Competitiveness of Industry in Guangdong, Committee of Economic & Trade of Guangdong Province, Dec, 2003. Guangdong is a mature industrialized location. Guangdong has accelerated its industrial structure transfer from light industry to heavy industry. The ratio of industrial added value between Guangdong’s light and heavy industries has increased from 47:53 in 2000 to 41.5:58.5 in 2003 ie the rate of heavy industry increased by 5.5% in three years. The heavy chemical industry has become a powerful vehicle to boost the development of Guangdong industry. The top 100 industrial enterprises with the highest industrial output value are basically in the business of information technology, petrochemicals, iron and steel, automobile and household appliances.

Guangdong Province has focussed on high-and-new tech industry in particular information technology. High-tech manufacturing in Guangdong amounted to an industrial output value of RMB 633.702 billion in 2003, an increase of 31.7% comparing with the preceding year. This attributed to a 45.9% overall increase of the whole province’s industrial output value. The industrial output value of equipment manufacturing increased 32.8%, of which transportation equipment manufacturing increased 46.0%. In 2003, 189,400 automobiles were produced in Guangdong, an increase of 100.7% compared to 2002, and 53,290,000 mobile phones were produced, increasing 67.7% over 2002 output volume.

A range of heavy chemical industry including petrochemical, iron and steel, automobile and shipbuilding has been established in Guangdong. Equipment manufacturing, is a strong boost to the industrial economy as well as earning the Pearl River Delta a reputation as a key manufacturing base in the world. Guangdong is well placed to capitalize on further international developments in the heavy and chemical industries.