Big moments for Nansha in 2019

Editor’s note: This is a looking back at some of the most important, timely or unusual issues covered by Guangzhou Nansha News’ reporters last year, which is a big year for the district.

The district’s Party Secretary Cai Chaolin introduced Nansha to the public at the 16th annual meeting for International Finance Forum (IFF) in November. The IFF permanent conference site started construction in Nansha soon afterwards, paving the way for the international financial island.

Cai Chaolin gives his speech at the 16th annual meeting of the International Finance Forum on Nov 23, 2019. [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]

Nansha people celebrated the 70th anniversary of the founding of People’s Republic of China with a flag-raising ceremony and a light show.

Nansha holds a flag-raising ceremony on Sept 29, 2019. [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]

The Nansha Bridge opened to traffic in April, adding a new artery to the transport network.

The Nansha Bridge welcomes its first passengers on April 2, 2019. [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]

The country’s largest cruise ship home port - Nansha homeport - debuted in November, opening a new chapter in the development of the cruise industry.

The NeoRomantica cruise ship departs from the Nansha homeport on Nov 17, 2019. [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]

In January, the automobile industry became the district’s first advanced manufacturing sector, with production value exceeding a trillion yuan ($144.55 billion). In addition, the Evergrande new-energy vehicle project is running smoothly. The district’s first electronic sports utility vehicle (SUV) made its debut in December.

The GACNIO New Energy Automotive Technology Co releases its first electronic automobile. [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) project was located in the district in September to drive innovative exchanges and cooperation between the two cities, and to cultivate high-end talents.

The groundbreaking ceremony of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) project is held on Sept 26, 2019. [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]

Guangzhou struck a deal with the Chinese Academy of Sciences to construct the Mingzhu Science Park in September.

Nine elite schools which include Guangzhou Zhixin High School and Lincoln Academy settled in the district in October to ramp up the local education sector.

The district - Guangzhou’s sub-center - was named as a top 10 happiest city at district-level in November. It is becoming a portal hub of core cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area with a favorable living, business and tourist environment.

Nansha district is one of the winners of the award of 2019 China’s top 10 happiest city (district-level). [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]

In November, the district introduced three major medical programs to foster a medical hub, including the Guangdong Provincial Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital and the Cancer Center of Guangzhou Medical University.

Jing Maotuan has striven to fight against poverty in Guiding county, Qiannan autonomous prefecture, Guizhou province, since he was appointed by Nansha district government to serve as deputy head of Guiding county.

In 2019, Nansha has helped to lift people from Guizhou’s three counties out of poverty as part of cooperation between the areas.

Jing Maotuan (2nd right) visits children from the Guiding county. [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]

Nansha gave out preferential personnel cards in July, and launched subscriptions for joint property rights housing in November. A total of 357.46 million yuan ($51.67 million) incentives were offered to 7,256 high-skilled workers in 2019.  

In April, the district unveiled the country’s first permit system for commercial registration. It has achieved more than 400 results since the establishment of the Nansha Free Trade Zone.

The Silk Road Intangible Heritage Fashion Show kicked off on Dec 28, combining beauty with ancient culture and fashion. It was designed to encourage a further injection of vitality into an old city, and to provide new ideas for local cultural development and industrial upgrading.

The model show and the kylin performance (one of the local intangible cultural heritages) at the Silk Road Intangible Heritage Fashion Show [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]

A new logo of the district was released. It features a design inspired both by the Nansha district map and a roaring lion. The “lion” implies a forward-looking spirit, revealing the district’s developing plan to create excellence in the new era.

The new logo of the Nansha district [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]