Steady Progress in Industrial Transformation and Upgrading in Guangdong: Highlights Shine on the New Track during the Spring Festival of the Year of the Snake

Editor’s note: ‘Steady’ sees high quality, set sail again! Before and after the convening of the provincial high-quality development conference, Nandu and N Video launched a special plan - ‘Steady Sees High Quality’, vividly telling from the perspectives of stable foreign trade, stable employment, stable confidence, etc., with vivid examples illustrating how various fields deepen their understanding of ‘stability’ and ‘progress’ with new initiatives.

The AR scene with the dancing golden snake, the naked-eye 3D visual effects in the advertisement, and the unmanned passenger-carrying aerial vehicle, all showcased in the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, are all from Guangdong enterprises; the AI ‘new force’ DeepSeek, which dominated the hot topics during the Spring Festival, also carries the ‘Guangdong gene’… The world’s attention is focused here.

Nowadays, emerging industries such as new energy, autonomous driving, and low-altitude economy are developing rapidly. Every 4 new energy vehicles in the country, one is made in Guangdong. Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and other places have gathered more than 30% of the low-altitude economy enterprises in the country. Among them, Xpeng Huitian will invest in Guangzhou to produce ‘flying cars’. Zhao Deli, the founder, told Nandu and N Video reporters, ‘We have found solutions in Guangdong for technology, talent, and funding.’

Nandu and N Video reporters interviewed multiple enterprises to document their continuous efforts in building a modern industrial system in Guangdong, where they integrate both Chinese and Western elements. They showed great courage in taking bold and decisive actions, while also being strategic and steady during the Spring Festival of the Year of the Snake, demonstrating their wisdom in the process.

Continuing to upgrade intelligent manufacturing

AR scenes with cartoon golden snakes dancing, digital virtual humans performing on stage with singers, and naked-eye 3D visual effects in advertisements…

In the 2025 CCTV Spring Festival Gala, these stage special effects with a sense of science and technology are all from the Guangdong enterprise Shenzhen Unilumin Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Unilumin Technology”). Founded in 2004 and listed in 2011, the company mainly provides LED display and lighting solutions.

The person in charge of Zooming Technology told Nandu reporters, “Practicing and mastering the basics of research and development and manufacturing are the foundation of development. As of June 30, 2024, Zooming Technology has obtained a total of more than 3100 patents and has also won national-level awards such as the first prize for scientific and technological progress and the single champion of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in the manufacturing industry.”

Not only that, this enterprise, which specializes in LED display screens and LED professional lighting manufacturing, has taken the lead in proposing the “Light Display System Solution” and steadily advancing the strategic layout of “LED+AI”.

A search by Southern Reporter found that Zhouming Technology has now launched products such as AI large-screen interactive intelligent agents, AI stage plays, naked-eye 3D digital content, and meta-universe ecological fish tank screens. “With the wave of AI technology sweeping in, the large screen is no longer a single display tool, but a bridge between digital and reality,” the above-mentioned person in charge said.

The data shows that the number of large-scale industrial enterprises in Guangdong has reached 73,900, accounting for about one-seventh of the national total and ranking first in the country. The solid foundation of Guangdong’s manufacturing industry has enabled enterprises in various industries, including ZM Technology, to establish a first-mover advantage in new fields and new tracks.

Midea, a technology giant in Guangdong, has also adopted the “AI+” strategy as its core, and has laid out in four main directions: “AI+ industrial robots”, “AI+ intelligent manufacturing”, “AI+ smart home”, and “AI+ medical imaging”, to achieve diversified business through technological innovation.

Midea Group has also built the world’s first fully AI-empowered water dispenser lighthouse factory, which focuses on the production of large central air-conditioning chiller units. The factory has created a single-order delivery model from optimal selection, intelligent design, agile production to adaptive quality assurance.

Entering the digitalized factory of Guangzhou Baiyun Electric Equipment Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Baiyun Electric”), the first thing you see is not the production line, but the digital integrated monitoring and scheduling center, where the screen displays real-time backend data such as the comprehensive monitoring system and intelligent warehousing platform. Inside the factory, the “KUKA” robot skillfully picks up a steel plate and transfers it to the automated processing center, completing this process in less than half a minute.

Baixyun Electric was established in 1989. Hu Dezhao, the chairman of the company, told Nanfang Daily, 'In recent years, we have actively promoted the transformation of traditional equipment manufacturing to high-end, intelligent, and green upgrades, realizing the transformation from ‘equipment manufacturing’ to ‘intelligent manufacturing services’.

Currently, Baiyun Electric provides comprehensive energy services systems, intelligent substations, smart distribution networks, power supply systems for trams, smart water management systems and other solutions. This enterprise, with a history of over 30 years, is rejuvenating itself through smart production, intelligent operation and maintenance, and other high-tech means.

On January 26, Baiyun Electric released a performance forecast, expecting to achieve a net profit attributable to the owners of the parent company of 150 million to 220 million yuan in the annual period of 2024, an increase of 40.36 million to 110 million yuan compared to the same period of the previous year, a year-on-year growth of 36.82% to 100.66%. “During the reporting period, the company seized the opportunities of industry development, focused on smart grid, new energy and other fields, actively explored the market, and achieved growth in operating income.”

“Strive to promote more than 10,000 industrial enterprises to carry out technological transformation and digital transformation every year, empowering industries to upgrade.” Tu Gaokun, Director of the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Guangdong Province, said that Guangdong will also vigorously develop research and development of artificial intelligence and scenario applications, consolidate the foundation of the artificial intelligence industry, and empower thousands of industries to improve quality and efficiency.

Stride forward to compete in new tracks

“In Guangzhou, you can ride a driverless baby bus for only 2 yuan” “Driverless bus baby-walking strategy is here”…

These Q version ‘Baby Bus’ with red, yellow, and blue color schemes have attracted numerous fans on social platforms. They are unmanned driving minibuses under the Guangdong autonomous driving representative enterprise WeRide, and are operating in Guangzhou Tower, Pazhou, and Knowledge City, attracting many out-of-town and even foreign tourists to come and check in.

During the Spring Festival of the Year of the Snake, tourist Xu Qing (pseudonym) told a reporter from Southern Metropolis Daily, “Many people will take their children to check in, especially during holidays and weekends, and they will have to wait in line for a long time. People from other places definitely want to experience the driverless bus.”

The popularity of driverless minibuses is a microcosm of the macro development of the autonomous driving industry in Guangdong. In addition to the unicorn company WeRide in Guangzhou, Guangdong also has autonomous driving companies such as Pony.ai. The former was established in 2017, and the latter was established in 2016. Both companies have been listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange in 2024.

The future-oriented development of autonomous vehicles relies heavily on the solid foundation of Guangdong’s new energy vehicle industry.

Guangdong not only has leading new energy vehicle companies such as Huawei HarmonyOS, BYD, GAC, and XPeng, but also power battery companies such as AODONG New Energy and EVE Energy, as well as accessories industries including charging equipment and safety control systems.

This year’s Guangdong Provincial Government Work Report pointed out that by 2024, the production of new energy vehicles in Guangdong will increase by 43%, accounting for one-fourth of the country.

Nandu reporters found that in the 2024 Guangdong Provincial Government Work Report, it was pointed out that in 2023, the annual output of new energy vehicles in the province reached 2.53 million, with one out of every four new energy vehicles in the country being “Made in Guangdong”.

New energy vehicles have entered every household, and the “flying car” with unmanned aerial vehicle is also making a strong debut. The flying body is released from the land vehicle designed by Cyber Armor, sequentially opening the front and rear landing gears, unfolding six pairs of robotic arms and rotors like a Transformer… This is the modular flying car “Land Carrier” from Xiaopeng Huitian, priced at less than 2 million yuan.

Founder Zhao Deli of Xiaopeng Huitian said in an interview with Nandu that "The dream of Huitian started in 2013. At that time, we made the prototype, but due to issues such as technology, talent, and funding, the dream came close to death multiple times. At the same time, the rise of new energy vehicles and drones in Guangdong, as well as the strong innovation capabilities demonstrated by new forces in intelligent connected vehicles, powertrains, and other technologies, and the vigorous development of new generation mobile communication technologies, all found solutions for technology, talent, and funding here.

Under the strong industrial foundation and vigorous market vitality in Guangzhou, Xpeng Heavens has now grown into the largest flying car company in Asia, with more than 1,400 team members, 85% of whom are R&D personnel. The ‘land aircraft carrier’ has received nearly 4,000 pre-orders. Zhao Deli introduced that Xpeng Heavens Flying Car Intelligent Manufacturing Base is located in the Guangzhou Development Zone. It officially started construction on October 27, 2024, with a planned annual production capacity of 10,000 units.

In 2024, it is regarded as the “first year of low-altitude economy”, and Guangdong enterprises such as EHang Intelligent, Xiaopeng Huitian, DJI Innovation, and Fengwing Technology are competing in the trillion-dollar new track of low-altitude economy to realize the landing of low-altitude economic application scenarios. Nowadays, it is common to watch air shows and see drones delivering drinks and food.

The provincial high-quality development conference mentioned that we should focus on the cultivation and growth of emerging industries and future industries, closely follow the forefront of science and technology, industry “wind outlets”, and market trends, create more hotspots, ignition points, and explosive points, and strive to become an important creator of new rules and a key leader of new tracks.

Focus on AI research

Technology is everywhere, and innovation knows no bounds. From self-driving cars to unmanned aerial vehicles, artificial intelligence plays a central role.

Recently, the topic with the highest popularity in the AI circle is undoubtedly DeepSeek. With its fearless courage and vigor, it has shaken the American AI giants. Its open-source models have caused a sensation in the global tech community. From DeepSeek V2, which reduces inference costs by nearly 100 times, to the new series DeepSeek-V3, and finally to DeepSeek-R1, which competes with OpenAI-o1, this AI startup has achieved all this in just 8 months.

The founder of DeepSeek is Liang Wenfeng from Wuchuan, Zhanjiang, Guangdong. On January 26th, Mr. Chen, Liang Wenfeng’s high school classmate and friend, told the reporters of Southern Metropolis Daily that the prospects of the AI engineering major that Liang Wenfeng studied in college were not clear, “but he has a forward-looking vision. He started from scratch, and has also explored and summarized continuously since starting his business, including products such as fully automatic embroidery machines.”

The AI big model developed by this 80s post-80s team from Guangdong has been favored by domestic and foreign companies. Not only global technology manufacturers such as Microsoft, Amazon, and NVIDIA have announced the access to DeepSeek big model, since February, Huawei Cloud, Tencent Cloud, 360 Digital Security, Baidu Intelligent Cloud, Alibaba Cloud and other platforms have also successively announced the launch of the DeepSeek model.

In Guangdong, the research boom around artificial intelligence continues to heat up, making Guangdong an important birthplace of AI technology innovation. According to Southern Metropolis Daily, Guangdong has established two national-level AI innovation application pilot zones in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, making it the only province with two pilot zones simultaneously.

According to the “Guangdong Province’s Measures on Empowering Thousands of Industries with Artificial Intelligence”, by 2027, the core industry scale of artificial intelligence will exceed 440 billion yuan; focusing on manufacturing, education, elderly care and other fields, creating more than 500 application scenarios.

The forward-looking policy environment also provides strong support for the development of the artificial intelligence industry. The 2025 Guangdong Provincial Government Work Report pointed out that the in-depth implementation of the “artificial intelligence +” action, with the deep integration of artificial intelligence and manufacturing as the main line, will accelerate the layout of scene application innovation, intelligent computing power basic base, core algorithms and data security, and accelerate the construction of a leading place for innovation in the general artificial intelligence industry.

Talent advantage is the deep foundation of Guangdong’s development. Data shows that by 2023, the province will have over 1.35 million R&D personnel, leading the country for seven consecutive years, with a total of over 19.79 million skilled personnel.

Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qian Xuesen Chair Professor at Tsinghua University, and Founding Dean of Shenzhen 01 College, Zheng Quanshui, stated in an interview with Southern Metropolis Daily on talent cultivation in the era of artificial intelligence that in the information age and the era of artificial intelligence, the ability to acquire applied knowledge to solve real-world problems has become more important than simply mastering knowledge.

Zero One College is located in Nanshan, Shenzhen, which is closely related to Guangdong’s excellent innovation atmosphere and innovation industry cluster. Zheng Quanshui said that Shenzhen’s excellent technological innovation atmosphere helps to inspire talented young people to find their own platforms to realize their dreams. He looks forward to the dream of innovative education taking root in this soil and gradually growing into a towering tree.

The provincial high-quality development conference proposed to make a big determination and concentrate efforts in the two major fields of artificial intelligence and robots. The conference also officially issued an invitation, ‘hoping that visionary and ambitious investors and entrepreneurs will actively participate and jointly embark on the industrial feast of breaking new ground, and welcome the intelligent world of human-machine coexistence together.’

(Source: Southern Metropolis Daily)

Source: East Money

Author: Southern Metropolis Daily