Journalists take a ride on the self-driving bus in Wuxi Economic Development District on April 22. [Photo provided to wuxi.gov.cn]
Wuxi, a city in East China's Jiangsu province, is emerging as a crucial bridge between the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), as demonstrated during a recent media tour attended by nearly 40 journalists from both regions.
During their visit, they were captivated by Wuxi's cutting-edge technologies and cross-regional partnerships. The tour's first stop featured Guangzhou-based WeRide, a major player in autonomous driving. The company has launched six self-driving bus routes and introduced online ride-hailing services in Wuxi Economic Development District (WEDD).
In addition to Guangzhou enterprises, companies from Shenzhen and Hong Kong have also established a significant presence in Wuxi. Shenzhen-based UBTech Robotics, for example, partnered with Miracle Automation to set up UQI, an intelligent technology company, in Wuxi in 2020, marking the beginning of a strong collaboration with the YRD city.
Wuxi's partnership with the GBA has expanded beyond industrial realms into financial and academic spheres.
With an increasing number of Hong Kong companies like China Resources and CITIC investing in Wuxi in recent years, Hong Kong has become Wuxi's primary source of investment.
Proactively seeking collaborations with universities in Hong Kong and Macao, Wuxi has established some fruitful partnerships. WEDD and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology unveiled the Wuxi Hong Kong Collaborative Innovation Center last year to further enhance integration in digital economy, integrated circuits, cultural creativity, and humanoid robotics.
Journalists visit the Yangtze River Delta and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Wuxi) Sci-tech Innovation Industry Integration Development Exhibition Hall in Wuxi Economic Development District on April 22. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
At the Yangtze River Delta and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Wuxi) Sci-tech Innovation Industry Integration Development Exhibition Hall in WEDD, journalists gained insight into the successful integration of Wuxi and the GBA. The exhibition presented achievements in combining industrial and supply chains and facilitating a positive "technology-industry-finance" cycle. It also underscored the strategic use of innovation platforms and academic institutions to gather innovative resources while promoting cultural exchanges among the regions.
In 2023, the Shenzhen Research Institute of Big Data established an innovation center in Wuxi. This center has recently collaborated with the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University to develop an AI intelligent medical guide system, offering patients more efficient and personalized services.
"Our center is committed to turning scientific research in the GBA into real-world applications and satisfying the research and development needs of the YRD region," said Zhou Wenzhang, algorithm director of the Wuxi Innovation Center.
Wuxi has also established 16 scientific and technological platforms in the GBA to connect with scientific and technological innovation resources.
Looking ahead, Wuxi aims to continue collaborating with leading GBA enterprises, universities, and research institutes to establish laboratories, innovation centers, and research and development facilities, fostering even greater integrated development.
