Since 2003, the State government has begun to clear up and rectify various development zones thoroughly, strengthened the management of land for construction, and defined the clear terms for development zone strictly. It reiterates once again the terminology for economic zone is refer to any economic areas or districts approved and rectified by the State Council and the Provincial People’s Government, which namely include the economic and technological development zones, the high and new technological industrial development zones, the export processing zones, the bonded zone areas and the economic development experimental zones, and so on. No zones, which without getting the approval from the State or the provincial level governments, can be allowed to set up or introduce inward investment or apply for and take over land for use in the name of development zones.

According to researches conducted initially by the Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation of Guangdong Province, there are 83 of national or provincial level development zones in Guangdong by the end of 2003 (for details, please refer to the name list of the development zones in Guangdong province). Among which, 18 zones were approved by the State Council, including 4 economic and technological development zones, 6 high and new technological industrial development zones, 6 bonded zones and 2 export processing zones. There are 65 of them approved by Guangdong Provincial People’s Government, including 56 economic development experimental zones and 9 high and new technological industrial development zones.

In 2003, all development zones in Guangdong province have developed rapidly. According to the initial statistic, the annual financial revenue of all the development zones reached RMB 10.5 billion, increased by 25.7% over the previous year; the gross industrial output value reached RMB 583.025 billion, increased by 69.2% of the corresponding period of last year. There were 1,578 items of projects of direct foreign investment with a contractual value up to US$ 7.395 billion, increased by 76.7% and 17% over the previous year respectively. The actual utilization of direct foreign investment was US$ 4.508 billion, increased by 62.7%; the total import and export value grew to US$59.168 billion, registering a 1.88 times over the previous year, among which the import value was US$18.49 billion and the export value was US$40.677 billion, increased by 4.72 times and 1.35 times over the previous year respectively.

I. National-level Development Zones

The 18 development zones of national level in Guangdong province contributed the total industrial production value of RMB 500.125 billion in 2003, accounting for 85.78% of the provincial total. There were 1,023 items of projects with direct foreign investment, accounting for 64.82%; the contract utilization of direct foreign investment was US$ 44.29 billion, accounting for 59.89%; the actual utilization of direct foreign investment was US$ 32.6 billion, accounting for 72.32%. The total import and export value was US$ 56.37 billion, accounting for 95.27%, with the import value of US$ 17.648 billion and the export value of US$ 38.721 billion, accounting for 95.45% and 95.19% respectively.

II. Provincial-level Development Zones

The 65 development zones of provincial level in Guangdong province contributed the total industrial production value of RMB 82.90 billion in 2003, accounting for 16.58% of the provincial total. There were 555 items of projects with direct foreign investment, accounting for 35.17% of the total. The contract utilization of direct foreign investment was US$ 29.66 billion, accounting for 66.97%; the actual utilization of direct foreign investment was US$ 12.48 billion, accounting for 38.28%. The total import and export value was US$ 27.98 billion, accounting for 4.96%, with the import value of US$ 8.42 billion and the export value of US$ 19.56 billion, accounting for 4.78% and 5.05% respectively.

Appendix

The Name List of the Development Zones by Regions in Guangdong Province (83 in total)

The Pearl River Delta Areas (31)

The Eastern Areas of Guangdong Province (18)

The Western Areas of Guangdong Province (19)

The Mountainous Areas (15)