Notice on Issuing Several Policies and Measures for Supporting Nansha Science City in Building a Core Area for Comprehensive National Science Center of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

Normative Document No.1 [2021] of the General Office of the Administrative Committee of Guangzhou Nansha Development Zone

Notice on Issuing Several Policies and Measures for Supporting Nansha Science City in Building a Core Area for Comprehensive National Science Center of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

All towns (street communities), departments of and agencies directly under Nansha Development Zone (Nansha District), and municipal entities in Nansha District,

The Several Policies and Measures for Supporting Nansha Science City in Building a Core Area for Comprehensive National Science Center of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area have been approved by the Administrative Committee of Guangzhou Nansha Development Zone and the District Government, and are hereby issued to you for your compliance and implementation.

General Office of the Administrative Committee of Guangzhou Nansha Development Zone

General Office of Nansha District People's Government of Guangzhou

March 17, 2021

Several Policies and Measures for Supporting Nansha Science City in Building a Core Area for Comprehensive National Science Center of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

These Policies and Measures are formulated in light of the actual scientific and technological innovation work of Nansha District, for the purposes of implementing the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the innovation-driven development strategy, enhancing the district's capacity for independent innovation, and building Nansha into an important underpinning for the International Center for Technology and Innovation of the Greater Bay Area, a core area of the Comprehensive National Science Center, and a key hub of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao science and technology innovation corridor.

1. Establishment of a High-end System and a Source for Original Innovation

(I) Efforts will be made to accelerate the forward-looking layout of original innovation to provide more innovative ideas for the science and technology development. Support will be given to the construction of the Nansha Science City and the Mingzhu Science Park. Major scientific and technological infrastructure will be built in a concentrated manner, to meet the needs of such industries as marine and air-space. For any major scientific and technological infrastructure project approved at national, provincial, or municipal level, a support fund may be granted equal to the municipal support standard. (Leading entities: Bureau of Development and Reform and Bureau of Science and Technology)

(II) Key scientific and technological innovation platforms will be built to gather high-end innovation resources from China and abroad. For any scientific research platform that is in line with the industrial development of Nansha District, and that plays a major supporting role in scientific and technological innovation, a support fund of up to two hundred million yuan (CNY 200,000,000) may be granted. Support will be given to the cluster development of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' institutions in Guangzhou and innovation platforms newly established outside Guangzhou, further pooling high-end innovation resources from China and abroad. The development of first-rate universities will be promoted by further gearing school management system to international standards, and curriculum design to the major scientific and technological infrastructure. (Leading entities: Bureau of Development and Reform and Bureau of Science and Technology)

2. Enhancement of Core Technology Breakthroughs and Technological Achievement Transfer and Transformation

(III) Specific science and technology projects will be organized and implemented to promote breakthroughs in core technologies, leading the development of strategic emerging industries. The science and technology projects system will be optimized and upgraded to focus on key areas, advantageous areas and characteristic areas of Nansha District. A total of one hundred million yuan (CNY 100,000,000) will be allocated each year to give special support to innovation entities in Nansha District engaging in such activities as tackling core technological problems, research and development of industrial generic technologies, and solving technical problems for enterprises. For any innovative, leading, and groundbreaking project, a support fund of up to ten million yuan (CNY 10,000,000) may be granted. Technologies, equipment and products that have made significant technological breakthroughs, have acquired intellectual property rights, and have promising market prospects, may be implemented as industrial application demonstration projects, and granted a subsidy of thirty percent (30%) of the actual investment of the project, subject to a maximum amount of five million yuan (CNY 5,000,000). (Leading entities: Bureau of Science and Technology and Bureau of Industry and Information Technology)

(IV) Innovation entities are encouraged to undertake science and technology projects launched by superior departments, apply for science and technology awards at all levels, and enhance independent innovation capacity and level. For innovation  subjects in Nansha District who acquire science and technology projects at national, provincial, and municipal level, tech awards, and projects rewarded or supported by the China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, supports will be granted by means of “post-subsidy”. Specifically, a support fund of one hundred percent (100%) may be granted to projects at national level, subject to a maximum amount of five million yuan (CNY 5,000,000); a support fund of seventy percent (70%) may be granted to projects at provincial level, subject to a maximum amount of three million yuan (CNY 5,000,000); and a support fund of fifty percent (50%) may be granted to projects at municipal level, subject to a maximum amount of two million yuan (CNY 2,000,000). (Leading entities: Bureau of Science and Technology)

(V) Support will be given to the transfer and transformation of technological achievements in higher education institutions and scientific research institutions, expanding channels and paving the last mile for the application of research results. Higher education institutions, scientific research institutions and private non-enterprise entities are supported to incubate science and technology enterprises based on their own core technologies, so as to accelerate the industrialization of technological achievements. For the industrialization process (from labs to pilot-scale experiment) of any research result of an incubated enterprise, a one-off subsidy of twenty percent (20%) of the pilot construction budge may be granted, subject to a maximum amount of three million yuan (CNY 3,000,000). Any incubated enterprise that is invested by social venture capital funds and equity investment funds may be granted a one-off reward of fifty percent 50%) of the actual paid-in capital, subject to a maximum amount of one million yuan (CNY 1,000,000). Any incubated enterprise may be granted with a one-off reward of five percent (5%) of its actual business revenue, subject to a maximum amount of five hundred thousand yuan (CNY 500,000). (Leading entities: Bureau of Science and Technology)

(VI) The principal role of enterprises in technological achievements transformation will be strengthened for a quicker industrialization process. For any enterprise in Nansha District that industrializes technological achievements purchased from higher education institutions and scientific research institutions, a one-off subsidy of twenty percent (20%) of the payment for the inventions and patented technologies may be granted, subject to a maximum amount of two million yuan (CNY 2,000,000). For pilot projects launched by high-tech enterprises for the industrialization of the purchased research results, a one-off subsidy of twenty percent (20%) of the actual investment may be granted, subject to a maximum amount of three million yuan (CNY 3,000,000). Enterprises in Nansha District are supported to promote industrialization of patented technologies. For an enterprise whose high-tech product formed by its core invention patent has registered an annual output value of over ten million yuan (CNY 10,000,000) within three (3) years from the authorization of such patent, a one-off reward of up to five hundred thousand yuan (CNY 500,000) may be granted according to the product' s economic benefits. (Leading entities: Bureau of Science and Technology and Administration for Market Regulation)

(VII) Technology service or transfer agencies will be supported to improve technological achievements transformation services. For any technology service or transfer agency recognized by a national, provincial, or municipal department of science and technology, a one-off reward of five hundred thousand yuan (CNY 500,000), two hundred thousand yuan (CNY 200,000), or one hundred thousand yuan (CNY 100,000) may be granted respectively. New research and development institutions in Nansha District are supported to offer science and technology services, such as research and development, inspection and testing, achievement transformation, and sci-tech consultation. For any of such new research and development institutions, a one-off reward of five percent (5%) of its actual science and technology service revenue may be granted, subject to a maximum amount of two million yuan (CNY 2,000,000) each year. Technology transfer agencies in Nansha District are supported to promote transformation of technological achievements. For any agency that has successfully facilitated higher education institutions and scientific research institutions from China and abroad to transfer technological achievements to enterprises in Nansha District, a one-off reward of three percent (3%) of the actual technology transactions provided in the technical contract may be granted, subject to a maximum amount of two million yuan (CNY 2,000,000) each year. Technology transfer agencies in Nansha District are supported to undertake science and technology services from national, provincial, and municipal departments of science and technology. Such agencies may be granted with a support fund of an amount equaling to the actual fiscal subsidy obtained from superior departments, subject to a maximum amount of three million yuan (CNY 3,000,000) per year. Any technology transfer agency that rents premises in Nansha District may be granted a subsidy of forty yuan per square meter per month, subject to a maximum amount of two million yuan (CNY 2,000,000) per year; such subsidy amount shall not exceed the actual rental expenditure. For any innovative and entrepreneurial activity recorded by the science and technology authority of Nansha District, and held by such institutions as science and technology services association / promotion association / alliance of Nansha District, a one-off subsidy of thirty percent (30%) of the actual activity expenditure may be granted, subject to a maximum amount of five hundred thousand yuan (CNY 500,000) per institution per year. (Leading entities: Bureau of Science and Technology)

3. Promotion of Innovation Subjects on Independent Innovation Capacity

(VIII) The development service system for technology enterprises will be improved to cultivate more quality high-tech companies. Any high-tech enterprise relocated into Nansha District from areas outside Guangzhou may enjoy a one-off reward of five hundred thousand yuan (CNY 500,000). Enterprises in Nansha District that apply for technology-based SMEs evaluation for the first time and are successfully included may be granted with a one-off reward of twenty thousand yuan (CNY 20,000). Any enterprise in Nansha District that gets included into the Guangzhou little giant science and technology enterprise pool may receive an additional one-off reward of one hundred thousand yuan (CNY 100,000). For any enterprise in Nansha District that applies for high-tech enterprises for the first time under the recommendation of science and technology authorities of Nansha District, and gets accepted by Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province, a one-off reward of fifty thousand yuan (CNY 50,000) maybe granted. For any high-tech enterprise that obtains the recommendation and recognition by science and technology authorities of Nansha District, an additional one-off reward of up to three hundred thousand yuan (CNY 300,000) may be granted. High-tech enterprises in Nansha District are supported to enhance the speed and quality of development. For any enterprise that is recognized as an "above-scale" enterprise for the first time during the valid term of its high-tech enterprise certificate, an additional one-off reward of two hundred thousand yuan (CNY 200,000) may be given, on top of rewards for high-tech enterprise recognition or establishment. (Leading entities: Bureau of Science and Technology)

(IX) Companies are supported to build R&D institutions to strengthen their independent innovation capacity and core competitiveness. For any innovation platform newly recognized by one or more state departments, such as State Key Laboratories, National Engineering Research Centers, National Technology Innovation Center, National Industrial Innovation Center, National Manufacturing Innovation Center, and National Enterprise Technology Center, a one-off reward of five million yuan (CNY 5,000,000) may be given. For any innovation platform newly recognized by provincial departments, such as Guangdong Key Laboratories, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangdong Enterprise Technology Center, and Guangdong Manufacturing Innovation Center, a one-off reward of two million yuan (CNY 2,000,000) may be given. For any innovation platform newly recognized by municipal-level departments, such as Guangzhou Key Laboratories, a one-off reward of five hundred thousand yuan (CNY 500,000) may be given. Enterprises in Nansha District are supported to build new-type R&D institutions. For any institution that is recognized by science and technology authorities at provincial or municipal level during the construction period, subsidies of up to thirty million yuan (CNY 30,000,000) for facilities, twenty million yuan (CNY 20,000,000) for operation, and thirty million yuan (CNY 30,000,000) for technological achievement transformation may be granted. Above-scale industrial enterprises in Nansha District are supported to build R&D institutions. For any institution that is newly recognized by Nansha District, a one-off reward of one hundred thousand yuan (CNY 100,000) may be granted. (Leading entities: Bureau of Science and Technology, Bureau of Development and Reform, and Bureau of Industry and Information Technology)

(X) Enterprises are encouraged to increase R&D investment to facilitate industrial transformation and upgrading. A R&D expenditure subsidy may be granted to any enterprise in Nansha District whose R&D expenditure accounts for no less than three percent (3%) of the total business revenue, achieves no less than one million yuan (CNY 1,000,000) in the current year, and registers a year-on-year increase of no less than five percent (5%). For enterprises whose R&D expenditure achieve a year-on-year increase of over ten percent (10%), and accounts for three percent (3%) to four percent (4%), four percent (4%) to five percent (5%), and above five percent (5%) of their business revenues, a one-off reward of six percent (6%), eight percent (8%), and ten percent (10%) of the R&D expense of the previous year may be granted respectively, subject to a maximum amount of ten million yuan (CNY 10,000,000) per enterprise per year. For enterprises whose R&D expenditures growth range between five percent (5%) and ten percent (10%), a one-off reward of may be granted in accordance with half of the above standard, subject to a maximum amount of five million yuan (CNY 5,000,000) per enterprise per year. (Leading entities: Bureau of Science and Technology)

(XI) Technology companies are supported to build incubation carriers, which can serve as a fertile ground for innovation and entrepreneurship. For technology enterprise incubators in Nansha District that are newly recognized at national, provincial, or municipal level may be granted with a one-off reward of three million yuan (CNY 3,000,000), one million yuan (CNY 1,000,000), and five hundred thousand yuan (CNY 500,000) respectively; for maker spaces that are newly recorded by the state, newly recognized by the province, or newly registered by the city, a one-off reward of four hundred thousand yuan (CNY 400,000), two hundred thousand yuan (CNY 200,000), and one hundred thousand yuan (CNY 100,000) may be granted respectively. Technology incubator operators in Nansha District are supported to build technology enterprise incubators. A one-off reward of two hundred thousand yuan (CNY 200,000) may be given for per provincial- and municipal-level enterprise successfully developed by the incubator. Incubators in Nansha District are supported to cultivate listed enterprises. For any incubator whose incubated enterprise gets listed in the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ) as SELECT, INNOVATION, or BASE, a one-off reward of three hundred thousand yuan (CNY 300,000), two hundred thousand yuan (CNY 200,000), and one hundred and fifty thousand yuan (CNY 150,000) per enterprise may be granted respectively. For any incubator whose incubated enterprise gets listed in regional stock exchange centers, a one-off reward of fifty thousand yuan (CNY 50,000) per enterprise may be granted. Offshore and overseas incubators targeted at areas with rich innovation resources, such as Israel, Germany and Australia, will be established. An operation assessment will be carried out every year on the conditions of such incubators. Offshore incubators rated as “excellent” may be granted a budget of five hundred thousand yuan (CNY 500,000) for operation and construction, and overseas incubators rated as “excellent” may be granted a budget of one million yuan (CNY 1,000,000) for operation and construction. (Leading entities: Bureau of Science and Technology)

4. Establishment of International Talent Special Zone for Stronger Support to Technological Innovation

(XII) Efforts will be strengthened in the attraction of high-level talents to provide intellectual support to technological innovation. For any outstanding talent, excellent talent, or young backup talent (with a certificate of Category A or B), who starts a business or make long-term innovation in Nansha District, and meets the requirements for the settling-in subsidy, a settling-in subsidy of five million yuan (CNY 5,000,000), three million yuan (CNY 3,000,000), and two million yuan (CNY 2,000,000) may be granted respectively. Settling-in subsidies for Nobel Prize winners and academicians can be raised to ten million yuan (CNY 10,000,000). The reward scheme for key talents will be further advanced. For any key talent with annual taxable salary of over three hundred thousand yuan (CNY 300,000) (over two hundred thousand yuan [CNY 200,000] for those who work in research institutions), a special talent reward of forty percent (40%) of their personal contribution to the economy may be granted; for any eligible senior executive talents of an enterprise, a senior executive talent reward from the corporate operation contribution reward may be granted according to the policies of Guangzhou Nansha New Area (Free Trade Zone) on talent attraction for innovative development. The total of the two rewards shall not exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the recipient's personal economic contribution. Any young talent with a bachelor, master, or doctoral degree, who has newly started working in Nansha District, may be granted with a housing allowance of twenty thousand yuan (CNY 20,000), forty thousand yuan (CNY 40,000), or sixty thousand yuan (CNY 60,000) respectively. Any young talent with a doctoral degree graduated (within five [5] years) from a well-known university overseas or world-class scientific research institution overseas, who makes innovation and starts a business in Nansha District, may be granted a settling-in subsidy of two million yuan (CNY 2,000,000). Postdoctoral researchers in Nansha District may be granted a research fund of one hundred thousand yuan (CNY 100,000), a living subsidy of one hundred and sixty yuan (CNY 160,000), and a settling-in subsidy of two hundred thousand yuan (CNY 200,000). Quality preschool education and compulsory education are provided to the children of scientific and technological talents from scientific research institutions and “four above-sized” high-tech enterprises in Nansha District, through overall arrangement of enrollment in public schools within the administrative division of Nansha District in accordance with relevant regulations. High-tech enterprises are supported to attract and cultivate innovation talents. Every year, a certain quota for the application of Guangzhou Talent Green Card is given to senior executive talents and key talents of the “four above-sized” high-tech enterprises in Nansha District. The talent green card will allow them to enjoy the treatment of citizens in the application for permanent residence cards and R visa, school enrollment of children, purchase of housing and car, business license application, and other aspects, without changing their origins or identity. (Leading entities: Bureau of Talent Development, Bureau of Science and Technology, and Bureau of Education)

(VIII) Support will be given to domestic and overseas talents in making innovation and starting a business in Nansha District, so as to form a high-level talents team. Targeted attraction plans for talents from China and abroad (including Hong Kong and Macao) will be implemented, which will provide a subsidy of up to twenty million yuan (CNY 20,000,000) to high-end innovation and entrepreneurship leading talents teams. Start-up businesses founded by youths from Hong Kong and Macao that have operated for over one year since registration and establishment in Nansha District and paid taxes according to laws, may be granted a one-off subsidy of twenty percent (20%) of the initial paid-in amount may be granted, subject to a maximum amount of one hundred thousand yuan (CNY 100,000); for those that have achieved a business revenue of over one million yuan (CNY 1,000,000) within one year since its registration and establishment in Nansha District, a one-off reward of one hundred thousand yuan (CNY 100,000) may be granted; for those that have obtained an accumulative investment amount of over five million yuan (CNY 5,000,000), achieved a business revenue of over five million yuan (CNY 5,000,000) in the previous year, and employed over five (5) youths from Hong Kong and Macao by the end of the year, a one-off reward of five hundred thousand yuan (CNY 500,000) may be granted. (Leading entitiess: Bureau of Science and Technology, Bureau of Talent Development, and CPC Youth League District Committee)

5. Establishment of an Opening-up and Innovation Hub for Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area through Optimizing Technological Innovation Environment

(XIV) The supporting role of fin-tech will be strengthened to boost the development of technological innovation. Investment institutions in Nansha District are encouraged to provide angle investment to start-up technology enterprises in Nansha District. Such investment institutions may be granted a risk subsidy of fifteen percent (15%) of its paid-in capital in an enterprise's Series A financing, subject to a maximum amount of five hundred thousand yuan (CNY 500,000) per investment and one hundred and fifty yuan (CNY 1,500,000) per institution per year. Venture Capital Funds registered and established in Nansha District may be granted a reward of five percent (5%) of its actual investment on the innovation and start-up projects in Nansha District, subject to a maximum amount of one million yuan (CNY 1,000,000) per project per year, and three million yuan (CNY 3,000,000) per Venture Capital Fund per year. Equity investment firms are supported to invest in technological enterprises at seed stage and start-up stage in Nansha District. For any incorporated or partnership equity investment firm that has a paid-up registered capital or a paid-in amount of over three hundred million yuan (CNY 300,000,000), and has hold stocks of non-listed enterprises in Nansha District for more than 2 years, a reward of three million yuan (CNY 3,000,000) may be granted for every fifty million yuan (CNY 50,000,000) or equivalent amount in foreign currency of its actual accumulative investment, subject to a maximum amount of ten million yuan (CNY 10,000,000) for the cumulative total. To alleviate the difficulties for technological SMEs in financing, a compensation fund pool for credit risks of technological SMEs at a scale of sixty million yuan (CNY 60,000,000) is set up, which will undertake twenty-five percent (25%) of the loss of principal arising from the loans issued by partner banks to SME members. Technological enterprises in Nansha District are supported to purchase science and technology insurance. Those that have purchased such insurances can enjoy, on top of the relevant municipal subsidy, a premium subsidy of fifty percent (50%) of the municipal standard from Nansha District, subject to a maximum amount of one hundred and fifty thousand yuan (CNY 150,000) per enterprise. Enterprises are supported to seek financing and development through capital market. Technological enterprises are encouraged to be listed in Chinese and foreign stock exchanges for financing, and those that get listed may be granted a reward of up to eight million yuan (CNY 8,000,000). (Leading entities: Bureau of Science and Technology and Bureau of Financial Work)

(XV) Connections with innovation resources in Hong Kong and Macao are strengthened to promote technology cooperation and development in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Exploration will be made to establish a Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Demonstration Zone for Scientific and Technogical Cooperation, in an effort to achieve in-depth cooperation with Hong Kong and Macao in such fields as start-up incubation, fin-tech, achievements transformation, and international technology transfer, and promote connections in scientific and technological standards with these two special administrative regions. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao development plan through scientific and technical cooperation will be implemented, guiding higher education institutions from Hong Kong and Macao to participate in the construction of Nansha Science City, and supporting a joint undertaking of national major science and technology projects. A number of innovation and start-up bases for youths from Hong Kong and Macao will be established and recognized. Such bases may be granted with a subsidy according to the quantity and quality of high-end teams they have attracted, subject to a maximum amount of one million yuan (CNY 1,000,000) per team. They may also be granted a premises rental subsidy of forty yuan (CNY 40) per square meter per month for a period of three (3) years, subject to a maximum amount of one million yuan (CNY 1,000,000) per base per year; such subsidy shall not exceed the actual rental expenditure. Institutions in Nansha District are encouraged to set up joint laboratories with higher education institutions and scientific research institutions. Major scientific and technological infrastructure will be opened to Hong Kong and Macao in an orderly manner, and industry-university-research connection platforms and technological information sharing platforms will be built to promote openness, sharing, and the reasonable and orderly flow of innovation elements. (Leading entities: Bureau of Science and Technology)

(XVI) International technological innovation cooperation will be deepened. Entities in Nansha District, such as enterprises, higher education institutions, scientific research institutions, and social organizations, are supported to set up talents workstations or R&D institutions in the international innovation talents intensive areas and countries along the Belt and Road. Such entities may be granted a subsidy of up to three million yuan (CNY 3,000,000) from the science and technology authorities of Nansha District, based on the performance on the attraction of high-end leading talents teams or technological achievements of such talents workstations or R&D institutions. (Leading entities: Bureau of Science and Technology)

These Policies and Measures shall come into force on the date of promulgation and shall remain in force for three (3) years. In case of any inconsistency between the previous provisions and these Policies and Measures, the latter shall prevail. If any fiscal subsidy project of Nansha District overlaps or repeats with these Policies and Measures, the situation with larger amount or better entitlement shall prevail. Where there is any change or adjustment to relevant laws, regulations, or policies within the validity term of these Policies and Measures, such change or adjustment shall prevail. Six (6) months prior to expiry, these Policies and Measures will be evaluated and revised according to the implementation in accordance with laws. Problems encountered in the implementation shall be directly reported to Bureau of Science and Technology, Bureau of Development and Reform, Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Administration for Market Regulation, Bureau of Financial Work, Bureau of Talent Development, Bureau of Education, and CPC Youth League District Committee.

Form of Disclosure: Active Disclosure