As a key gateway for China's opening-up, Guangzhou, renowned as the "Millennium Commercial Capital," is becoming fertile ground for foreign investment due to its solid industrial foundation and institutional openness. In 2025, despite multiple challenges, the city established 11,000 new foreign-funded enterprises, accounting for approximately one-sixth of the national total. The actual utilization of foreign capital increased by 9.1% year-on-year, a growth rate higher than the national average. A recent visit to three foreign enterprises revealed the core factors behind Guangzhou's strong appeal to foreign investors.
"Collaborating with knowledgeable partners makes investment more secure," said a representative from Singapore's Perennial Group. The group recently established a wholly foreign-owned hospital in Guangzhou's Baiyun District, which is expected to begin operations by the end of this year. The project, with a total investment of 1 billion yuan, focuses on introducing advanced cancer diagnosis and treatment technologies. The decision to invest in Guangzhou was influenced by the city's top-tier medical capabilities, cost advantages, and favorable location near major transportation hubs. Following deeper cooperation, Perennial Group also partnered with a local state-owned enterprise to jointly develop an international medical and wellness hub.
"A long-term and stable policy environment gives investors greater confidence," stated the General Manager of HTWO Guangzhou, Hyundai Motor Group's first overseas research, development, production, and sales base for hydrogen fuel cell systems. The company's decision to locate in Guangzhou was based on strategic, industrial, policy, and market considerations. The city's clear hydrogen energy industry plan, robust automotive supply chain, and abundant hydrogen resources provided a solid foundation. In 2024, local government policies, including subsidies for fuel cell vehicle demonstrations, helped secure a major strategic cooperation agreement with a large logistics company. By 2025, further policy support led Hyundai to establish its first overseas hydrogen energy R&D center in Guangzhou, leveraging resources from the Greater Bay Area.
"Government departments always find ways to help enterprises overcome challenges," noted the President of Carl Zeiss Vision China. Since the early 2000s, efficient customs services, such as round-the-clock clearance and AEO certification, have supported the growth of Zeiss's manufacturing base in Guangzhou. In 2025, the adoption of drone transport for bonded lenses further enhanced operational efficiency. That same year, the base was recognized as a "Lighthouse Factory" by the World Economic Forum, the first of its kind in the optical lens industry globally. Looking ahead, the company plans to expand into new areas such as orthokeratology lenses and AR/VR smart glasses, leveraging Guangzhou's well-developed industrial chain.