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In 2025, Guangdong's comprehensive regional innovation capability ranked first in China for the ninth consecutive year. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the province maintained its leading position in key innovation metrics, including R&D expenditure, number of high-tech enterprises, valid invention patents, PCT international patent applications, revenue from high-tech manufacturing, and exports of high-tech products.

China's MIIT and six other ministries have jointly formulated an implementation plan to advance the innovative development of service-oriented manufacturing. The plan aims to deeply integrate services into the entire product lifecycle of manufacturing, focusing on key tasks such as strengthening core technology research and model innovation, and nurturing growth in technology services and other critical producer services.

The General Office of the State Council has issued an Implementation Opinion to accelerate the development and large-scale application of new scenarios. It focuses on creating application scenarios in digital economy and AI to drive industrial upgrading and public service innovation, providing support for new quality productive forces and high-quality socio-economic development.

As a strategic emerging industry, China's low‑altitude economy is experiencing rapid growth. It is projected that the national market size will reach 1.5 trillion yuan by 2025. The Greater Bay Area, serving as a pioneering pilot region, has shown remarkable results. Cities like Shenzhen have formed industrial clusters and cultivated new business models in logistics and passenger transport, providing strong support for regional industrial upgrading.

The Guangdong National Digital Economy Innovation and Development Pilot Zone Implementation Plan (2025–2027) aims to establish the Greater Bay Area as the world's most digitally advanced bay area. With a focus on data‑element reforms and breakthroughs in core industries, the plan targets the formation of three trillion‑level digital industrial clusters by 2027, deepening regional “Digital Bay Area” coordination and building an internationally leading digital economy hub.

The Guangdong Province Action Plan for Financial Support to Enterprises in Industrial Chain Integration and Mergers aims to strengthen financial empowerment, assisting enterprises in the Greater Bay Area in enhancing industrial chain competitiveness and building a modern industrial system through market‑driven mergers and integration. Jointly issued by multiple departments including the Provincial Local Financial Regulatory Bureau, the plan focuses on expanding financing channels and improving policy coordination to promote high‑quality development of industrial clusters.

To actively promote high‑level openness and high‑quality development, the National Immigration Administration earlier announced the "Notice on Implementing 10 Innovative Measures to Support Opening‑Up and High‑Quality Development," introducing 10 immigration and exit‑entry management service policy measures. These steps are designed to optimize services, facilitate cross‑border flows, and better support national development goals.

Guangdong pioneers cross-border allocation of provincial research funds, directing over 6 billion yuan to Hong Kong and Macao. Through initiatives like streamlined customs, expedited commutes via the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point, and shared facilities, the province is accelerating innovation flow. With 35 joint laboratories established, the Greater Bay Area is advancing as a global science and technology hub.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development has accelerated Macao-Hengqin integration, leveraging industrial synergy and infrastructure connectivity to diversify Macao's economy and strengthen regional cooperation.

Guangdong has launched the "Pension Finance High-Quality Development Implementation Plan," focusing on cross-border financial cooperation and expanding the Wealth Management Connect to build an integrated pension finance system in the Greater Bay Area.

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), in coordination with eight other government departments, has released a comprehensive package of 19 policy measures designed to expand service consumption. The initiative focuses on enhancing the supply of high-quality services through further opening of the service sector, including eased market access in premium healthcare and leisure tourism, with the aim of attracting increased foreign investment and private capital into these segments.

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has jointly issued a 14-measure action plan with seven other regulatory bodies to expand digital consumption. The comprehensive policy package directs businesses to accelerate R&D innovation, scale up production of AI-enabled terminal devices, and supports the regulated development of emerging business models including on-demand retail, social commerce, and live-stream e-commerce.

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), along with two other government bodies, has formulated a work plan for the light industry sector. The plan outlines 15 key tasks across three pillars—consumption, investment, and exports—with a focus on cultivating new growth engines in high-demand consumer sectors such as health, elderly care, childcare, home furnishings, and cultural tourism.

To further facilitate cross-border trade payments, the National Foreign Exchange Administration (SAFE) will expand the scope of its high-level cross-border trade openness pilot program to include more regions. The initiative will also broaden the range of transactions eligible for netting settlement, covering trade payments and related service fees, thereby reducing overall capital settlement costs.

The National Immigration Administration (NIA) has rolled out a series of new exit-entry measures pertaining to Hong Kong and Macao. Among these, the number of ports implementing "facial recognition" smart clearance has been increased to 14. Residents of Hong Kong and Macao can now use contactless facial recognition for border clearance without presenting their travel documents, provided they consent to the collection and verification of their facial images and fingerprints for immigration inspection purposes.