Editor’s Note
This article highlights a key proposal from the Guangdong Provincial CPPCC session, focusing on strategies to enhance the international competitiveness of the Greater Bay Area’s gold and jewelry sector.
On the morning of January 25, the fourth session of the 13th Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) opened in Guangzhou.
Zheng Zhiwen, a member of the 13th Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CPPCC, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, and Chief Executive Officer of Rosewood Hotel Group, attended the meeting and put forward two proposals. She suggested accelerating the overseas expansion of the Greater Bay Area’s gold and jewelry industry to resolve the issue of overcapacity; simultaneously, she proposed creating a demonstration zone for the “Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation” of Lingnan culture to promote its creative transformation and innovative development.
The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is the core agglomeration zone of China’s gold and jewelry industry, integrating a complete industrial chain from design and R&D, precision manufacturing to brand operation and terminal retail. It has formed world-class industrial clusters represented by areas such as Luohu in Shenzhen, Panyu in Guangzhou, and Shunde in Foshan.
While achievements are significant, the industry also faces severe challenges. With the rapid expansion of production capacity in earlier stages, the problem of structural overcapacity has become increasingly prominent, accompanied by fierce homogenized competition, testing innovation capabilities and sustainable development capacity.
In the processing and manufacturing segment, she suggested transitioning from being the “world’s workshop” to creating a “global intelligent manufacturing and supply center,” organizing systematic overseas high-end exhibitions and trade matchmaking. Led by government departments (such as industry and information technology, commerce), in collaboration with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, and major industry associations, 3-5 global top-tier jewelry exhibitions (such as Baselworld, Vicenzaoro in Italy, Hong Kong International Jewellery Show, etc.) should be selected annually. High-quality manufacturing enterprises and master craftsmen from the Greater Bay Area should be organized to collectively participate under the unified regional brand image of “Greater Bay Area Gold and Jewelry.” Establish a “Greater Bay Area Fine Craftsmanship Pavilion” or “Creative Design Corridor” to centrally showcase high-end manufacturing capabilities, cutting-edge craftsmanship, and original designs, connecting with international brands, retailers, and buyers.
Encourage and support leading enterprises and inspection institutions in the Greater Bay Area to actively participate in revising international standards in areas such as precious metals, gemstone identification, and craftsmanship evaluation. Promote mutual recognition of product quality standards, environmental standards, and social responsibility standards with major target markets to reduce technical trade barriers.
In the retail brand segment, focus should shift from “product export” to “brand and cultural export.” Implement the “Greater Bay Area Jewelry Brand Overseas Store Expansion Plan.” Select a group of Greater Bay Area jewelry enterprises with independent brands, distinctive design features, and excellent quality. Provide subsidies for preliminary market research, financing support for store openings, overseas legal and tax consulting, and initial promotional subsidies for opening brand flagship stores, concept stores, or entering high-end department store counters in key overseas cities.
Innovate through digital marketing and cross-border e-commerce empowerment. Support the establishment of a “Greater Bay Area Gold and Jewelry International Digital Marketing Service Center” to provide enterprises with one-stop services including multilingual website construction, overseas social media content operation, KOL/KOC collaboration, and cross-border e-commerce platform operation. Utilize VR/AR technology to create online virtual showrooms, enhancing the experience for overseas clients.
Deepen the “culture + jewelry” narrative for overseas expansion. Organize and plan overseas touring exhibitions, new product launch shows, and cultural exchange activities themed around “Oriental Aesthetics,” “Lingnan Culture,” and “Contemporary Chinese Design.” Support enterprises in collaborating with overseas museums, art galleries, and cultural institutions to develop co-branded products, enhancing brand cultural connotation and international reputation.
Build overseas warehousing and after-sales service systems. Encourage enterprises to establish overseas warehouses in node cities along the “Belt and Road” and major target markets to shorten logistics times, reduce transportation costs, and improve consumer experience. Explore establishing a unified overseas after-sales service center network to provide professional cleaning, maintenance, repair, and redesign services, building an international customer trust system.
Zheng Zhiwen also suggested establishing an “Overseas Expansion Service Hotline” and an online platform to provide services such as policy interpretation, market alerts, risk warnings, and dispute mediation. Drawing on the practices of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s BUD Special Fund, establish a special fund to provide subsidies, loan interest discounts, or risk compensation for overseas market expansion, brand building, intellectual property layout, and talent introduction for enterprises going global. Support universities and vocational colleges in the Greater Bay Area to collaborate with internationally renowned design schools and business schools to offer majors in jewelry design, international brand management, cross-cultural marketing, and cross-border e-commerce; enterprises, associations, and institutions should jointly build internship bases, introduce overseas industry experts, and cultivate composite talents who understand both jewelry and the international market.
Zheng Zhiwen also proposed the suggestion to “create a demonstration zone for the ‘Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation’ of Lingnan culture to promote its creative transformation and innovative development.”
She pointed out that in recent years, Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao have promoted Lingnan culture through various means. However, it is undeniable that the inheritance and development of Lingnan culture still face challenges: some traditional cultural expressions are somewhat disconnected from modern life; support in terms of talent, funding, and platforms for inheritance and innovation needs strengthening; the efficiency of activating and utilizing cultural resources and industrial transformation needs improvement; and the depth and breadth of international dissemination need expansion.
Therefore, she suggested that multiple departments and relevant cities should study and formulate an implementation plan for the construction of the “Lingnan Culture ‘Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation’ Demonstration Zone” as soon as possible.
For example, in the core areas or mature sections of ecological protection zones for Cantonese culture (e.g., Xiguan in Guangzhou, Foshan Zumiao-Donghuali area), Chaoshan culture (e.g., the ancient city area of Chaozhou, Xiaogongyuan opening port area in Shantou), and Hakka culture (e.g., Songkou Ancient Town in Meizhou, Tuocheng in Heyuan), select 1-2 areas each as the first batch of demonstration zones. These zones can be positioned as policy pilot zones, scene creation zones, industry incubation zones, talent aggregation zones, and international exchange windows for Lingnan culture’s “Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation.”
Establish a collaborative management mechanism, explore an operational model of “management committee + platform company + expert committee,” and grant greater autonomy to the demonstration zones in project approval, land use, fund utilization, etc. Increase fiscal, tax, and financial support, establish a provincial-level special fund for Lingnan culture’s “Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation,” and guide social capital participation. Provide tax incentives, subsidies, rewards, and financing support to eligible cultural innovation enterprises, projects, and talents within the demonstration zones.
Furthermore, avoid large-scale demolition and construction, adopt “micro-renovation” methods to activate and utilize historical and cultural blocks, ancient villages, and old buildings. Integrate digital technologies (AR/VR, holographic projection, smart guides, etc.) to create blended virtual and physical, participatory, and experiential cultural narrative spaces, building “museums without walls.”
Systematically integrate resources within the demonstration zones, such as intangible cultural heritage projects, time-honored brands, traditional craft workshops, specialty foods, and folk customs. Regularly hold regional characteristic festival activities (e.g., Cantonese Temple Fair, Chaoshan Yingge Dance parade, Hakka Mountain Song Festival). Support the construction of intangible cultural heritage workshops, inheritance experience centers, and community cultural schools.
Develop cultural study routes, intangible cultural heritage-themed homestays, cultural and creative products, digital collectibles, etc. Encourage integrating Cantonese culinary skills, Gongfu tea art, Lingnan traditional Chinese medicine, etc., into modern life aesthetics and healthy living.
Reported by: Nandu · Bay Finance Society reporter Qiu Yongfen