Interpretation of the New Policies in Changsha Economic and Technological Development Zone: Accelerating the Cultivation of New-Quality Productivity and Promoting High-Quality Development of the Manufacturing Industry

In February 2025, the Management Committee of Changsha Economic and Technological Development Zone officially released the "Several Measures of Changsha Economic and Technological Development Zone to Accelerate the Cultivation of New Quality Productivity and Promote High-Quality Development of Manufacturing (Trial)" (hereinafter referred to as the "New Policy"). The introduction of this policy marks a solid step forward for Changsha Economic and Technological Development Zone in promoting high-quality development of manufacturing. Through a series of innovative measures, it aims to accelerate the cultivation of new quality productivity and provide strong support for the transformation, upgrading, and high-quality development of the manufacturing industry in the zone.

I. Policy Background and Objectives

With the accelerated advancement of the global technological revolution and industrial transformation, the cultivation of new quality productivity has become key to promoting high-quality development in manufacturing. As a national-level economic and technological development zone, Changsha Economic and Technological Development Zone shoulders the important mission of leading regional economic development. The introduction of the New Policy aims to thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th CPC Central Committee's Third Plenary Session and the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on the work of national-level economic and technological development zones. It seeks to accelerate the realization of the "Three Highs and Four News" blueprint and promote the manufacturing industry towards high-end, intelligent, and green development.

II. Main Content of the Policy

The New Policy focuses on six key areas: supporting enterprise R&D and innovation, supporting future industry development, supporting enterprise quality improvement and upgrading, supporting high-level openness, supporting green development of enterprises, and supporting financial services for manufacturing development. It proposes 30 detailed measures to lay a solid foundation for the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry in the zone.

Supporting Enterprise R&D and Innovation: The New Policy addresses R&D investment, platform creation, achievement transformation, and ecosystem improvement. It provides rewards of up to 5 million yuan for major scientific and technological achievement transformation projects and supports enterprises with annual R&D expenditures reaching a certain scale by offering 10% of incremental R&D expenses, up to 2 million yuan. Additionally, it encourages the implementation of scientific research achievements from universities and institutes in the zone, promoting the transformation of technological achievements into actual productivity.

Supporting Future Industry Development: The New Policy focuses on emerging fields such as future manufacturing, future energy, future information, future biology, and future materials, aiming to cultivate future industry segments like artificial intelligence, new energy equipment, low-altitude manufacturing, and biomanufacturing. For products of future industry enterprises recognized through evaluation, it provides support equivalent to 5% of the YoY increase in annual sales revenue, with a maximum reward of 10 million yuan per enterprise. It also supports the construction of future industry application scenarios and landmark products, promoting the improvement of basic facilities and standard formulation for future industries.

Supporting Enterprise Quality Improvement and Upgrading: The New Policy encourages enterprises to expand effective investment, enhance capabilities, and improve per-unit-area efficiency. It offers varying levels of rewards for newly recognized national-level manufacturing "single champion" enterprises and national-level specialized and innovative "little giant" enterprises. Additionally, it supports enterprises in increasing equipment upgrades, providing up to 10% support for projects with annual new equipment investments of 5 million yuan, with a maximum reward of 10 million yuan per project. A comprehensive evaluation mechanism guided by per-unit-area efficiency has also been established to reward outstanding enterprises.

Supporting High-Level Openness: The New Policy encourages foreign trade enterprises to improve quality and efficiency, rewarding production-oriented foreign trade enterprises in the zone based on their zero-to-multiple growth performance. It also increases efforts to attract foreign investment in key areas, rewarding newly introduced foreign trade projects with annual export values reaching a certain scale or foreign investment projects with actual utilization of foreign capital reaching a certain scale. Furthermore, it supports enterprises in overseas investments, aiming to build a demonstration zone for China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.

Supporting Green Development of Enterprises: The New Policy focuses on circular economy, green and low-carbon transformation, and enhancement of environmental management capabilities. It provides rewards for remanufacturing or resource recycling projects and national green manufacturing enterprises. Enterprises are also encouraged to adopt advanced environmental protection technologies and management methods to reduce energy consumption and emissions while improving resource utilization efficiency.

Supporting Financial Services for Manufacturing Development: The New Policy focuses on the settlement of funds and licensed financial institutions and investment projects. It provides a minimum 0.4 times return investment for sci-tech innovation funds, up to 70% matching funds for sub-funds, and 60% risk tolerance support. Additionally, it establishes an investment reward of up to 5 million yuan per year to attract more financial capital to support manufacturing development.

III. Policy Features and Impact

The introduction of the New Policy demonstrates the determination and efforts of Changsha Economic and Technological Development Zone in promoting high-quality development of manufacturing. Its features are mainly reflected in the following aspects:

Innovation-Driven: The New Policy emphasizes a new orientation towards innovation-driven development, particularly strengthening technological innovation and future industry cultivation. Through a series of innovative measures, it accelerates the cultivation of new quality productivity and promotes the manufacturing industry towards high-end, intelligent, and green development.

Systematic Measures: The New Policy adopts a "1+N" policy system (one main policy + multiple specialized sub-policies) in a collaborative model, achieving dual efforts of "systematic measures" and "precise empowerment." It provides enterprises with life cycle policy support, helping the zone accelerate progress in its "second entrepreneurship" journey.

Effective Implementation: The New Policy focuses on effective policy implementation, simplifying application processes and optimizing implementation methods. Measures such as increasing "enjoyment without application" and "full online processing" ensure that policies truly benefit enterprises, stimulating their innovation vitality and development momentum.

Dynamic Updates: The New Policy adheres to the principle of dynamic updates, continuously updating the main policy and sub-policies based on industrial development dynamics and enterprise needs. This ensures that policies are iteratively updated and precisely aligned with industrial development requirements.

The introduction of the New Policy will have a profound impact on the development of the manufacturing industry in Changsha Economic and Technological Development Zone. On one hand, it will attract more high-quality enterprises and projects to settle in the zone, promoting industrial clustering and upgrading. On the other hand, it will stimulate the innovation vitality and development momentum of enterprises, enhancing the overall competitiveness and influence of the zone. It is expected that under the guidance of the New Policy, Changsha Economic and Technological Development Zone will embrace broader development prospects and a brighter future.