Guangzhou is one of China’s leading central cities and the capital of Guangdong Province. Covering an area of 7,434.4 square kilometers, Guangzhou serves a population of approximately 24 million and has an economic output exceeding RMB 3 trillion. With a history of more than 2,240 years, Guangzhou is a renowned historical and cultural city, often referred to as a “millennium-old commercial hub.” More than a thousand years ago, it was one of the starting points of the Maritime Silk Road. Over a century ago, it stood at the forefront of China’s modern transformation, and more than forty years ago, it was among the first to work out viable approaches to the development of special economic zones. Today, Guangzhou is actively advancing the development of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area and continues to serve as a major engine of high-quality development.

Guangzhou is a center for international commerce and trade in China, a major national hub for advanced manufacturing, a comprehensive national gateway, and a key hub for international scientific and technological innovation. It hosts six advanced manufacturing clusters with output values exceeding RMB 100 billion each, as well as ten service industries with added value above RMB 100 billion. Strategic emerging industries—including automobiles, biomedicine, display technologies, integrated circuits, and aerospace—are experiencing rapid growth. Guangzhou ranks sixth globally in the Nature Index for research cities. The city is home to more than 4.25 million registered market entities, over 50,000 foreign-invested enterprises, and investments from 368 Fortune Global 500 companies. It has been ranked as China’s top investment destination for eight consecutive years.

With a long-standing commitment to openness, Guangzhou serves as an important bridge connecting China with the rest of the world. It maintains trade relations with over 200 countries and regions, while its consumption and foreign trade have each exceeded RMB 1 trillion and maintained sustained growth in recent years. The China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair), the country’s longest-running and largest trade exhibition, has been successfully held for 138 sessions. Guangzhou’s airport handles more than 83 million passenger trips annually, ranking among the world’s top ten, while its port records nearly 700 million tonnes of cargo throughput, ranking sixth globally. The city hosts 70 foreign consulates and has established partnerships with 111 international sister cities and friendly cooperation cities.