Building a Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau "Data Special Zone" Guangdong Releases China's First Provincial-Level Top-Level Design for Digital Society

Securities Times Reporter Wu Shaolong

Recently, the General Office of the Guangdong Provincial People’s Government issued the “Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the High-Quality Development of Digital Society in Guangdong Province” (hereinafter referred to as the “Opinions”). The “Opinions” propose 18 specific measures across five areas, aiming to build a new paradigm for digital society development that is characteristic of Guangdong, inclusive, intelligent, and convenient.

This document is the first top-level design at the provincial level in China regarding digital society construction. Based on Guangdong’s advantages in digital economy and digital government development, it focuses on key and difficult issues in digital society construction, proposing a series of innovative initiatives to promote deep integration of digital technology and social development. It aims to create a new Guangdong-style digital society paradigm with Lingnan characteristics, providing a replicable and promotable “Guangdong experience” for high-quality digital society development nationwide.

The “Opinions” establish a two-step development path: by 2027, the digital infrastructure of society will be more solid, digital rules more sound, and the application of new-generation intelligent terminals and intelligent agents in social services, daily life, and governance will significantly increase, fully releasing consumption potential. By 2030, intelligent digital technology will be closely integrated with social development, forming a Guangdong digital society paradigm that is inclusive, wise, convenient, rich in Lingnan特色, deeply rooted in Chinese culture, and leading the trend of the times.

Centered on enhancing people’s sense of gain and happiness in digital development, the “Opinions” focus on key areas and critical links of digital society construction, proposing five tasks: innovating scenario applications to build new operational methods for digital society; connecting organizational units to shape new structural forms; strengthening the foundation of digital intelligence to create new driving forces; improving digital literacy to stimulate new vitality; and optimizing the digital environment to foster a new ecosystem for digital society.

Specifically, the “Opinions” propose shaping new structural forms of digital society, with a highlight on building an open and innovative digital Bay Area. Guangdong will accelerate the integration of the digital Bay Area, establish a “Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Data Special Zone,” and promote efficient, convenient, and secure cross-border data flow. Strengthen digital infrastructure connectivity, jointly build a smart city cluster in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Promote digital economic cooperation among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, and develop key digital industry clusters in the Bay Area. Enhance digital cooperation in fields such as elderly care, healthcare, transportation, and ecological environment, and innovate data resource integration and application scenarios.

To strengthen the foundation of digital intelligence and create new momentum for digital society development, the “Opinions” propose proactive deployment of advanced information networks, accelerate the pilot deployment of 10-gigabit optical networks and 5G-A, speed up 6G technology research and development, and plan ahead for 6G application ecosystems. Build a high-quality intelligent computing power supply system, orderly promote the construction of computing centers, and improve the capacity and efficiency of intelligent computing resources. Accelerate the development of Guangdong’s blockchain network and promote infrastructure for data circulation and utilization through “digital chain integration.”

Regarding the security system, the “Opinions” put forward multiple measures. These include strengthening the coordination between fiscal funds and social capital, guiding various types of social capital to invest, and encouraging financial institutions to increase credit and financing support for key digital areas. Explore establishing scenario-based innovation incubation mechanisms and strengthen the cultivation and openness of diverse application scenarios.