Zhongshan is one of the cities with most specialized towns. Ten years ago, specialized towns began to emerge in Zhongshan and they gradually grew to contribute half of the city’s output value.

Zhongshan’s specialized towns cover industries ranging from traditional industries like lighting, hardware, textile & clothing, household electrical appliances and furniture to strategic new industries like cultural tourism, energy-saving and environment-friendly industry, video games and LED. Of the 18 specialized towns, 15 are provincial-level specialized towns. In Zhongshan, there are 27 state-level industrial bases and 19 are established in specialized towns, there are 360 technical service platforms and 80% settle in specialized towns.

Zhongshan has only 1% of the land and 3% of the population in Guangdong Province, but it is because of specialized towns that its economy ranks No.5 in the province. Since the 11th Five-Year-Plan, great efforts have been put in to develop technology in specialized towns so as to upgrade the enterprises to be more energy-efficient and productive. On the one hand, enterprises are encouraged to improve their own capability of innovation; on the other hand, enterprises are able to upgrade themselves with the support and assistance of the government. 

Lighting made by Guzhen Town won the city the title of Lighting Capital. 

There are now more than 360 technical service platforms. 

Capability of innovation provides an engine for industrial transformation and upgrading.