Official: Guangzhou will be innovation driver

Tianhe district, the new city center of Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, will make good use of its higher education and scientific research resources to encourage mass entrepreneurship and innovation as the main fuel for economic growth, according to the district's top official.

As the host of the China-Russia Internet Media Forum, Tianhe wowed guests with its booming high-tech industry on Friday. During a trip to the district's high-tech companies, visitors watched a 9D movie using the latest virtual-reality devices, and were able to pay for their subway entry by swiping their mobile phones on a machine.

There were 530 high-tech companies in Tianhe at the end of last year, accounting for 27 percent of all enterprises. The number is expected to surge this year, with 1,189 companies having applied in the first 10 months to be accredited as high-tech firms. More than 800 of those are expected to be approved.