Recently, the General Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province issued the “Measures for Accelerating Technological Transformation of Industrial Enterprises in Guangdong Province under the New Situation”. These measures consist of 10 specific actions focused on promoting technological transformation. The aim is to guide and encourage industrial enterprises to undertake high-end, intelligent, green, and integrated transformations. The goal is to achieve an annual average of over 9,000 industrial enterprises undergoing technological transformation across the province and to guide the allocation of no less than 100 billion yuan to support enterprises in their technological improvements.
Measures to Accelerate Technological Transformation of Industrial Enterprises in Guangdong Province under the New Situation
In order to thoroughly implement the relevant requirements of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council regarding technological transformation and the advancement of the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, and to effectively implement the work arrangements of the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, we have formulated these measures to guide and encourage industrial enterprises in Guangdong to carry out high-end, intelligent, green, and integrated transformations in line with the actual situation of our province.
Strengthen the Concept of Technological Transformation:
Technological transformation is a crucial link in promoting the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry. Relevant units at the provincial and municipal levels should attach great importance to it, adhere to the principles of market orientation and government guidance, focus on key areas and overall improvement, and support enterprises in upgrading existing facilities, technological conditions, and production services through the use of new technologies, processes, equipment, and materials. The goal is to strive for an annual average of over 9,000 industrial enterprises undergoing technological transformation province-wide.
Increase Financial Support for Technological Transformation:
From 2023 to 2027, the provincial finance will allocate a certain amount of special funds to support technological transformation through methods such as equipment incentives, loan interest subsidies, insurance and financing lease subsidies, and risk compensation. The funds will particularly support strategic industrial clusters, industrial chain development, and key areas such as green and low-carbon initiatives.
Guide Financial Support for Industrial Technological Upgrades:
Implement a financial policy that includes government interest subsidies, bank concessions, insurance credit enhancements, leasing subsidies, and risk sharing from 2023 to 2027, striving to guide no less than 100 billion yuan in support for industrial enterprises in technological transformation.
Emphasize Support for Key Industries:
Focus on strategic pillar industries and strategic emerging industries, providing increased support. This includes upgrading traditional industries such as food and beverage, promoting efficiency and quality in the textile and clothing industry, intelligent upgrades in the home appliance industry, quality improvement in the elderly care products industry, and optimization and upgrading in building materials industries like cement, glass, and ceramics.
Promote Mergers and Acquisitions with a Focus on Technological Upgrades:
Utilize policy funds such as the provincial industrial development fund, innovation and entrepreneurship fund, and agricultural supply-side structural reform fund to support technology-oriented mergers and acquisitions in a market-oriented manner. Encourage companies to actively participate in mergers and acquisitions through equity investment. Increase financial support for enterprise mergers and acquisitions, encouraging banks to provide loans and favorable interest rates, and insurers to introduce compensation products for corporate mergers and acquisitions.
Encourage Leading Enterprises to Drive Industry Digitization:
Support leading enterprises in playing a leading role, conducting integrated application innovation, and promoting the conversion of advanced technologies and application scenarios into standard solutions. This should drive the digital transformation of enterprises in the industrial chain. Encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to digitize, cultivate digital transformation service providers, and create small, fast, and precise digital system solutions and products. Implement industrial cluster digital transformation projects, support the formation of industrial ecosystem alliances, and provide rewards for the digital transformation of industrial clusters.
Support Green and Low-Carbon Transformation of Industrial Enterprises:
The provincial finance will prioritize support for energy-saving and carbon-reducing projects in industries such as electricity, steel, non-ferrous metals, building materials, petrochemicals, chemicals, textiles, printing, and paper. The maximum support for a single project should not exceed 30% of the total investment. Support industrial parks in transforming towards a circular economy and encourage enterprises to utilize industrial solid waste. Provide rewards for industrial enterprises that actively apply for national-level green factories, green products, green supply chains, green industrial parks, and provincial-level leaders in energy efficiency (water efficiency). Encourage the application and promotion of new energy storage and silicon energy products.
Strengthen Talent Cultivation and Support for Technological Transformation:
Enhance industry-education integration and support high-quality enterprises in strategic industrial clusters to participate deeply in the construction of relevant disciplines and majors in universities and vocational colleges. Implement special talent cultivation projects in strategic industries such as aviation engines and gas turbines, new materials, high-end chips and industrial software, and new energy storage and silicon energy industries. Carry out training actions for industrial digital compound talents and explore the establishment of certification standards for digital transformation talents in specific industries.
Ensure Resources for Technological Transformation Projects:
Optimize energy and environmental impact assessment services, implement reforms such as commitment-based approval for eligible technological transformation projects, and simplify environmental impact assessment content. Allow inter-company adjustment of pollutant emissions within the total amount specified in the industrial park for industrial technology transformation projects encouraged in the Industrial Structure Adjustment Guidance Catalog. Strengthen guarantees for land use in industrial enterprise technological transformation projects. Encourage local governments to introduce policies to support industrial enterprise technological transformation.
Strengthen Organizational Leadership:
The main leaders of governments at or above the municipal level should personally oversee industrial technological transformation investment. Establish and improve mechanisms to promote the progress of technological transformation work and coordinate resources to optimize service guarantees. Improve the supervision and evaluation mechanism for technological transformation work, incorporate the investment situation of industrial technological transformation into the assessment system for the leading role of the manufacturing industry, and regularly report the completion of work goals in various regions. The statistics department should do well in the statistical work of industrial enterprise technological transformation projects, ensuring that all industrial enterprise technological transformation projects are included in the statistical system in accordance with the requirements of the fixed asset investment statistics system.
These measures shall be implemented from the date of issuance and will be effective until December 31, 2027. The content and validity period of policies involving provincial financial support will be implemented by each department in accordance with their respective fund management detailed rules.