Notice on Issuing the Measures of Guangzhou Nansha for Further Integrating Innovation, Industry, Capital and Talent Chains

Normative Document No 3 [2022] of the Office of the Administrative Committee of Nansha Development Zone of Guangzhou Municipality

Notice on Issuing the Measures of Guangzhou Nansha for Further Integrating Innovation, Industry, Capital, and Talent Chains

All towns (street communities), and departments of and agencies directly under the Nansha Development Zone (Nansha district),

Several Measures of Guangzhou Nansha for Further Integrating Innovation, Industry, Capital, and Talent Chains have been approved by the administrative committee and the district government and are hereby issued to you for your compliance and implementation.

Office of the Administrative Committee of Nansha Development Zone of Guangzhou Municipality

General Office of Nansha District People's Government of Guangzhou Municipality

June 5, 2022

Several Measures of Guangzhou Nansha for Further Integrating Innovation, Industry, Capital, and Talent Chains

With a goal of building Nansha into a major strategic platform with a global perspective that is based on the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and in collaboration with Hong Kong and Macao, these measures are meant to leverage the leading role of Nansha Pilot Free Trade Zone in institutional opening-up by taking advantage of major platforms such as the Demonstration Zone for Comprehensive Cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, the Demonstration Zone for Creative Promotion of Import Trade, the Comprehensive Bonded Zone, and the International Special Zone for Talents. Under the guidance of innovation-driven and industry-oriented philosophy, the measures also aim to promote the in-depth integration of innovation, industry, capital, and talent chains where these chains are closely connected and highly complementary, establish an industrial policy system that can facilitate the development of Nansha, and ultimately develop Nansha into a support area for international shipping, finance and technological innovation in the Greater Bay Area, in a bid to create a new engine for high-quality development.

Chapter I Applicability

Article 1 These measures apply to enterprises, public institutions, social organizations, and industrial associations (or groups) that are registered as independent legal entities and subject to the statistics and tax obligations in Nansha district, financial institutions that are registered and operate in the district, and other entities and individuals that the administrative committee of Nansha development zone and the district government decided to support unless otherwise provided in the district's industry support measures.

Chapter II Construction of a Full-process and Innovative Eco-chain

Article 2 Reward for research and development. New-type R&D institutions will be granted a subsidy of up to 100 million yuan ($15 million) during their development period. Enterprises and institutions are encouraged to intensify R&D investment and will be given a post-reward of up to 10 million yuan according to their R&D expenses.

Article 3 Reward for application and promotion. Enterprises in strategic emerging industries will be given rewards and support for scenario-based applications, qualification acquisition, service provision, and service purchases. For application demonstration projects of key industries, a reward of up to 5 million yuan per project will be granted based on the actual project investment.

Article 4 Reward for commercialization and application of scientific and technological achievements. Universities, research institutes, private non-enterprise organizations, technology transfer service agencies, and intellectual property rights (IPR) institutions and platforms are supported to enhance the commercialization and application of advances in science and technology and the creation and utilization of IPRs. Such organizations will be rewarded with up to 10 million yuan according to their actual investments, honors, and services.

Article 5 Reward for incubators. Business incubators and maker spaces can enjoy a reward of up to 3 million yuan.

Chapter III Construction of an Industry Chain Featuring High-quality Development

Article 6 Reward for leading enterprises. Leading enterprises such as the Global Fortune 500 companies, unicorn companies, and companies listed on the main board will be given comprehensive policy support.

Article 7 Reward for new settlements. Enterprises newly registered in or relocated to Nansha district will be rewarded with up to 30 million yuan according to their industry category, business operation, and economic contributions.

Article 8 Reward for business contribution. To support enterprises' sustainable development, Nansha district will provide a reward of up to 100 percent of their economic contribution to the district according to their business types and business contribution growth.

Article 9 Reward for fixed-asset investment. For enterprises' new construction, expansion, and reconstruction projects in the district and purchases of production equipment, and industrial parks' expansion and reconstruction projects, a reward of up to 50 million yuan will be granted as per the amount of fixed-asset investment.

Article 10 Level-up reward. Enterprises that have been first listed in the Fortune Global 500 will be rewarded with 20 million yuan, in the Fortune Global 1,000 and/or top 500 companies of China will be rewarded with 10 million yuan. 

Article 11 Subsidy for offices, workshops, and warehouses. Enterprises, institutions, and talents are encouraged to cluster and set up offices in Nansha. Enterprises settling in key clusters can enjoy rent exemptions for up to three years. Among these enterprises; those that purchase office properties for self-use can enjoy a subsidy of up to 10 million yuan; those that rent office spaces, industrial premises, and warehouses for self-use can enjoy a subsidy covering up to 100 percent of the evaluated market price of the rent and property management fee for three years, subject to a maximum amount of 3 million yuan each year.

Article 12 Support for high-growth enterprises. High-tech enterprises will be granted a one-off reward of up to 500,000 yuan. For champion manufacturers and the "specialized, refined, special and innovative" enterprises that are recognized by the state, a one-off reward of up to 5 million yuan will be granted. For MSMEs, a development reward of up to 500,000 yuan will be granted.

Article 13 Support for exchange activities and project introduction. Enterprises or institutions will be rewarded with up to 20 million yuan for hosting forums, competitions, meetings, and other activities. A recommending institution can enjoy a reward of up to 5 million yuan per year.

Article 14 Supplementary bonus of superior rewards. Enterprises and talent teams entitled to rewards or support funds granted by the state, province, or municipality will be granted a supplementary bonus of up to 5 million yuan.

Article 15 Reward for industrial linkage. For Nansha-based enterprises and institutions that purchase products and services from local manufacturers, strategic emerging industries, and the service industry in the district, a reward of up to 3 million yuan will be given according to the contract amount.

Chapter IV Construction of an Integrated and Innovative Capital Chain

Article 16 Support for equity investments. A 5-billion industrial guidance fund will be established in Nansha to support enterprises for equity investments. Equity investment enterprises and investment holding companies that invest in listed or non-listed enterprises in the district will be rewarded with up to 10 million yuan according to their investment scale. Qualified Foreign Limited Partner (QFLP) enterprises can enjoy an extra reward of up to 5 million yuan according to the amount of foreign investment. To encourage industrial funds to invest in start-up projects of enterprises and outstanding talents in the district, venture capital funds that are registered and operate in Nansha will be rewarded with up to 3 million yuan per year according to their investments in the district.

Article 17 Support for loans and loan interests. The district government will establish an MSME credit risk compensation pool with a scale of up to 100 million yuan, and work with the partner banks in the district to provide credit loans of up to 30 million yuan to MSMEs. Enterprises that have obtained loans from commercial banks in Nansha can enjoy a support fund of up to 3 million yuan based on the actual loan interests. Banks in the district will be granted a support fund of up to 2 million yuan according to the loan types and loan balances.

Article 18 Reward for listing. Newly-listed enterprises will be rewarded with up to 10 million yuan. For transfer listing from NEEQ Select, a reward of up to 13 million yuan will be granted. Enterprises that use capital markets to refinance and issue bonds or securitized products will be rewarded with up to 6 million yuan.

Article 19 Support for M&A. Enterprises that acquire listed holding companies and high-tech firms and introduce them to Nansha district will be rewarded with up to 3 million yuan.

Article 20 Support for cross-border trade and investment. For institutions and enterprises in Nansha that conduct local and foreign currency pools and cross-border financial asset trading businesses, a reward of up to 500,000 yuan will be granted based on the transaction scale.

Chapter V Construction of a Talent Chain Highlighting Industry-talent Integration

Article 21 High-level talent reward and team support. High-level talents working full-time in Nansha will be rewarded with up to 10 million yuan. High-level talents introduced through flexible means will be rewarded with up to 1 million per year according to their remuneration. High-level talent teams that can facilitate the district's key industry development will be rewarded with up to 100 million yuan.

Article 22 Reward for talents' economic contributions. Backbone talents and executive talents will be granted a reward of up to 100 percent of their personal economic contribution. For incomes from investments, equity transfers, and equity incentives of talents working in equity investment enterprises, reserve enterprises for listing, headquarters enterprises, and enterprises in strategic emerging industries, a reward of up to 100 percent of their personal contribution to the local economy in the previous year will be given.

Article 23 Reward for newly-introduced talents. Newly-introduced talents with a bachelor's degree or above, a medium-level professional title or above, or a technician professional qualification or above will be granted a living allowance of up to 120,000 yuan. Newly-introduced postdoctoral researchers can enjoy a subsidy of up to 750,000 yuan for scientific research, living allowance, housing, etc. Young people from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas who come to Nansha for exchange, internship, employment, entrepreneurship, or competition will be rewarded with up to 1 million yuan.

Chapter VI Enhancement of Service Support

Article 24 Optimization of business services.

Land use support. Eligible key enterprises can apply independently or jointly for the construction of headquarters office buildings, of which the construction scale should be compatible with the applicants' economic contribution. It is encouraged to provide land for emerging industrial parks through "lease and transfer", "lease before transfer" and other methods. The land in emerging industrial parks can be used in a mixed manner for different functions; the parks shall be industry-oriented and can allocate a certain proportion of areas for commercial, office, and residential purposes as appropriate.

Household registration support. Nansha district will provide key enterprises with a certain number of quota-based household registration opportunities to key industries according to their business scale and economic contribution, with a view to facilitating senior executives and core talents who are not qualified for the plan-based household registration policy to enjoy citizen treatment.

Employee housing support. Nansha district will address the reasonable housing demands for employees of key enterprises (institutions) according to their scale and contribution.

Transportation support. For key enterprises that apply for new license plates for small and medium-sized passenger vehicles in Guangzhou, Nansha district will provide bidding rewards for certain quotas according to the enterprises' business scale and economic contribution.

Preferential treatment in approval procedures. Key enterprises can enjoy fast-track services in administrative approval procedures and policy fulfillment.

Mechanism on key coordination and specifically-assigned services. Key enterprises can enjoy services from designated district officials, and their projects shall be included in the district's key construction project list for management; financial institutions will be guided to increase credit support for key enterprises. One-on-one full-life-cycle customized services will be provided to assist key enterprises in their registration, establishment, tax registration, business communication, and professional legal and financial services.

Marketing support. Efforts should be made to coordinate and open public services to support key enterprises in utilizing application scenarios and facilitate businesses to promote products and expand the market. The government-enterprise cooperation platform shall be improved and a business resource exchange service platform shall be established, so as to promote the exchanges and cooperation among enterprises in the district and boost the coordinated and innovative growth of large-sized companies and SMEs.

Greater policy implementation services. A mechanism shall be established to track and supervise the implementation of industrial support policies, so as to timely follow up the support recipients' compliance with their commitments and strengthen the policy implementation management, thus ensuring the effectiveness of the support policies. All policy applications can be completed within the designated time via the district policy fulfillment window, where integrated services are available with the support of an efficient interdepartmental communication system. The reward funds shall be used to support the high-quality development of enterprises and talents, and the application time of different rewards and subsidies shall be subject to specific notices or guidelines. Applications for qualification-based rewards (rewards based on recognition, awards, honors, etc.) are accepted at any time, and eligible enterprises can enjoy such rewards without application. For data verification-based support policies where the rewards or subsidies are determined by the applicant's annual investment or output, applications can be made in the following year; prior allocation of awards and subsidies by installments or by proportions is encouraged. 

Article 25 Improvement on talent services. Supported by the One-stop Service for International Talents in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Greater Bay Area (Guangdong) International Talent Station, the comprehensive talent service system shall be strengthened and the Nansha Talent Card services shall be rendered in a classified manner. More efforts shall be made to address talents' top concerns in work and life, including housing, children's education, elderly care for parents, spouse's employment, and family medical care, providing all-round support to talents so that they can make innovations, start businesses, and live a happy life in Nansha.

Article 26 Full utilization of incentives provided by superior departments.

Preferential policies such as tax rebates at ports of departure, pilot programs for general VAT taxpayers in comprehensive bonded zones, tax breaks on international shipping insurance, and individual income tax preference in the Greater Bay Area, shall be firmly put in place. Greater efforts shall be made to seek tax policies that are favorable to the development of Nansha Free Trade Zone. Financial market interconnectivity shall be promoted in an orderly manner by implementing trials for high-level opening up of cross-border trade and investment; conducting such capital account reforms as the pilot programs of Qualified Foreign Limited Partners (QFLP), Qualified Domestic Limited Partners (QDLP), and cash-pooling service for multinational companies that integrates domestic and foreign currency management; implementing current account facilitation measures such as optimizing new types of international trade settlement by banks and exempting special foreign exchange refunds from registration for trade in goods; deepening reform and opening-up in the foreign exchange sector; and improving the liberalization and facilitation of cross-border trade and investment. More measures shall be taken to introduce high-end international talents and facilitate their entry and residence in Nansha.

In line with international high-standard rules such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTTP), and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), pilot programs shall be launched to promote the liberation and facilitation of trade and investment, free flow of production factors, financial services, competition policies, green development, etc., with a view to building Nansha into a pioneering hub of economic globalization. Support shall be given to the construction of opening-up platforms including the Demonstration Zone for Comprehensive Cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, the Demonstration Zone for Creative Promotion of Import Trade, the Comprehensive Bonded Zone, and the Comprehensive Service Platform for Offshore Trade. More efforts should be made to collaborate with Hong Kong and Macao in deepening the foreign economic and trade cooperation, and promote the exchanges and cooperation among countries and regions along the Belt and Road as well as major free trade zones and ports worldwide. A comprehensive service center shall be built to facilitate Chinese companies to go global, and a new international economic cooperation platform shall be developed in the Greater Bay Area to enhance the Belt and Road Initiative.

Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions

Article 27 These measures shall come into force on the date of promulgation and shall remain in force for five years. Detailed implementation rules shall be formulated by relevant departments. Special support measures for key industries, key areas, and key functional platforms shall be formulated by competent departments.

Article 28 Where any matter or project of an applicant is eligible for more than one support policy herein, support will be given in accordance with the policy that grants the largest subsidy. The total amount of government support funds received by an enterprise shall, in principle, not exceed its economic contribution to the district in the year, except that the enterprise is a newly-introduced or established industrial company that is a key development and cultivation project of the district or engages in science and technology innovations. Major industrial projects that have a strong exemplary effect and great contributions to the local economy, and enterprises that have made special contributions or major accomplishments may be given special contribution rewards according to the specific situations. An enterprise can simultaneously enjoy support policies of the same type from both the district and the municipality, provided that the portion of municipal support funds required to be disbursed by the district shall be deducted from the district's support fund. Enterprises relocated from other districts in Guangzhou shall be subject to the applicable municipal regulations.

Article 29 Support recipients under these measures shall abide by national laws and regulations, conduct lawful business operations, and sign a letter of commitment. Where any recipient violates the commitment, the policy maker shall recover the reward funds. Those who have maliciously defaulted on wages or evaded debts, or have major violations of laws and regulations, major mass incidents, or major quality and safety production accidents shall not be able to enjoy any policy support herein.

Article 30 All reward and subsidy amounts herein shall be in renminbi unless otherwise specified. Where any numbers come with "above", "up to", "not exceed", or "not less than", such numbers shall be included in the numerical range.

Projects that are entitled to support policies (including applicable policy items that last for years and have yet to be fully fulfilled) through relevant procedures before these measures become effective shall be, in principle, subject to the original policies. Other than the situation mentioned above, all new applications for rewards and subsidies shall be handled as per these measures. Where there is any change or adjustment to relevant laws, regulations, or policies within the validity term of these measures, such change or adjustment shall prevail.

Form of Disclosure: Active Disclosure

Issued by the Secretariat of the Office of Guangzhou Nansha Development Zone Administrative Committee on June 6, 2022