Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou clusters hold top global innovation rank in 2026 report
The Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster retained the number one spot for innovation globally. Taiwan export figures also broke records in August, rising over 41 percent annually.
The World Intellectual Property Organization released its 2026 Global Innovation Index on September 8. The Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou metropolitan cluster kept the top position among the world's leading innovation hubs. Officials stated the ranking measures patent filings, scientific publications, and venture capital deals per million inhabitants over five years. For the year, the cluster filed 2,259 PCT applications, published 4,060 scientific articles, and handled 138 venture capital deals.
Hong Kong officials confirmed the city's first five-year plan is due on September 16. Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau highlighted biomedicine as a strategic industry. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area generated more than 2.23 trillion US dollars in gross domestic product in 2025.
In separate economic data, Taiwan reported record exports in August. Exports reached 82.4 billion US dollars, up over 41 percent from the previous year. Financial ministry officials noted this surpassed analyst expectations of a 35.3 percent increase. Exports to the United States rose 20.7 percent to 23.667 billion US dollars, while exports to China grew 39.3 percent.
