Harboring 36 out of 39 industrial categories, Guangzhou is the city with the most complete and developed manufacturing industry in southern China. In particular, automobile industry, petrochemical, electronic information and bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing have become four pillar industries in Guangzhou. Any industry manufacturers may find suppliers offering matching products available within the Pearl River Delta with Guangzhou as its center.

There are two national development zones, namely Guangzhou Development District and Nansha Development Zone. The former consists of Guangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, Guangzhou High-tech Industrial Development Zone, Guangzhou Free Trade Zone and Guangzhou Export Processing Zone, while the latter, Nansha Development Zone is expected to build into a modern industrial base combining logistics industry, port industry and high-tech industry.

Besides, Guangzhou has been awarded with many titles of national base, such as National Medicine Export Base, National Biological Industry Base, National Automobile and Component Export Base and National Software Export and Innovation Base.