The Tonghu Science City Big Data Industrial Park is set to settle in the Science City, aiming to build itself into a large-scale environmentally responsible cloud computing data center

Exterior of Tonghu Science City Industry Development Center

After more than one year of construction, as a key integral part of Tonghu Science and Technology Town, the Tonghu Science City, one of the major projects for both Guangdong Province- and Huizhou City-level, has made a significant move forward. On April 26, 2019, the Tonghu Science City Industry Development Center, co-founded by County Garden and Cisco, was officially inaugurated and opened to the public. The signing ceremony for Tonghu Science City Big Data Industrial Park was also held. Tonghu Science City is designed to become a hub for digital innovation industry, propelling the development of digital, cloud computing, intelligent and many other high-tech industries.

Propelling the development of digital, cloud computing, intelligent and many other high-tech industries

The 13th Five Year Plan proposes the implementation of a national big data strategy. In line with the building of a digital China and the promoting of the digital and integrated development of industries as key elements of the country’s economic roadmap, Tonghu Science City was created. The Industry Development Center of Tonghu Science City will serve as a scientific innovation platform for industrial development, as well as a showcase for the construction of distinctive new towns in concert with industry-city integration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Tonghu Science City, co-developed by County Garden and world-class IT giant Cisco, is located in the Huizhou Tonghu Ecological Smart Zone, known as the "Silicon Valley in Guangdong" at the junction of Shenzhen, Dongguan and Huizhou. Tonghu Science City is a key integral part of Tonghu Science and Technology Town. It covers an area of 6 square kilometers, and began construction on December 5, 2017. In addition, Tonghu Science City will boast the development of digital, cloud computing, intelligent and many other high-tech industries. In the near future, it will provide powerful data processing and cloud services for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and help elevate big data application capability for tens of thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises relying on different industries. Moreover, Tonghu Science City will accelerate the gathering of innovative and high-end resources for Huizhou Zhongkai Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, facilitate Huizhou to build a modern industrial system, and push forward sustainable and high-quality economic development.

Relevant personnel of Tonghu Ecological Smart Zone revealed that construction of Tonghu Science City in the east part of Tonghu Science and Technology Town is a significant achievement since Huizhou Zhongkai Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone has implemented the innovation-drive strategy, spurred high-quality regional economic development and created a modern industrial system. More companies, such as County Garden Group and Cisco, are encouraged to bring in more innovative resources, further helping Tonghu Ecological Smart Zone earn its claim as being the "Silicon Valley in Guangdong" and transform Huizhou into one of China’s most modern and up-to-date cities.

Liu Ning, Vice President of County Garden Group and General Manager of Industrial City Integration Center, said that Tonghu Science City, an important integral part of Tonghu Science and Technology Town, will focus on the development of digital, cloud computing, intelligent and other high-tech industries. The County Garden Group, in the future, plans to drive the development of both Tonghu Science City and Tonghu Science and Technology Town with a focus on three aspects, including bringing together industrial resources, providing a communications platform and improving the management and operation of local industries.

Yang Bo, Vice President of Cisco Greater China and General Manager of Smart City, said that Tonghu Science City is based in Huizhou and serving the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Cisco and its many cooperative partners have jointly created an ecological chain for the information industry in Tonghu Science City and enhanced its competitiveness. With the Science City as the base, Cisco will continue to assist Chinese enterprises in their digital transformation as a means of promoting integrated development.

Tonghu Big Data Industrial Park to begin first phase operation in 2020

On the same day, Tonghu Big Data Industrial Park, a large-scale environmentally responsible cloud computing data center in South China, jointly built by Cisco, Country Garden and Shenzhen-based Runyang Group, announced its intent to settle in Tonghu Science City.

The Big Data Industrial Park in Tonghu Science City, involving an investment of one billion yuan, is on track to commence phase one operation in 2020. In addition, the construction of the big data center, jointly built by Cisco, Country Garden and Runyang Group, will officially begin at the end of May this year. The project will directly serve firms in Tonghu Science and Technology Town, including Cisco, as well as companies in the Greater Bay Area, with a focus on high-tech firms in Shenzhen’s big data sector.

Fu Zhengping, professor of Institute of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Development Studies, Sun Yat-sen University and executive vice president of Institute of Free Trade Zone, said that the Greater Bay Area has nearly reached the point of being qualified to build a modern industrial system and promote industrial integration. He suggested that this goal can be realized by furthering the combination of technological progress and industrial development as the build out of the Guangzhou–Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao Science and Technology Innovation Corridor moves into the next phase, exploring the idea of developing "enclave" industry clusters within the pilot free trade zones, as well as building an industrial cooperation platform with a focus on jointly investing in emerging strategic industries.