Guangzhou should focus on the development of the real economy, cultivate new driving forces, and enhance the competitiveness, development and sustainability of its economy, according to the report that was released at the 12th Guangzhou municipal congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Dec 26.

As the central urban area of Guangzhou and the area with the highest concentration of modern services, Tianhe district is of great importance to the future development of Guangzhou.

In 2020, the district's GDP reached 531.28 billion yuan ($83.38 billion), accounting for 21.2 percent of Guangzhou's total. Its GDP was 438.62 billion yuan in the first three quarters of this year, increasing by 10.1 percent year on year and accounting for 21.9 percent of the city's total.

Zou Xueren delivers a speech at the 12th CPC Guangzhou municipal congress. [Photo/Nanfang Plus]

"We will continue to focus on the real economy, adjust the industrial structure, speed up the construction of key area like the Tianhe Central Business District, and improve the industrial clusters of modern services and strategic emerging industries," said Zou Xueren, director of the Tianhe district development and reform commission.

By 2025, the added value of secondary industries in the district will account for about 9 percent of the regional GDP, added Zou.

The modern service industry is the pillar industry of Tianhe district. In 2020, the district's added value of modern services was 372.09 billion yuan, making up 70 percent of the district's GDP and 31.5 percent of the city's GDP.

Zou noted that Tianhe will focus on the development of leading industries such as finance, new-generation information technology, high-end professional services, and modern commerce and trade, and continue to develop the modern service industry.

In terms of strategic emerging industries, Tianhe will give full play to its many universities and research institutes as well as its strong scientific innovation capacity, according to Zou. The district will also boost the development of emerging industries such as AI, industrial software, digital creation, biomedicine and healthcare.