Thirty years have passed since the beginning of the reform and opening up, and during this time, Guangdong's industry models have changed a lot. Many local enterprises have turned into transnational companies, therefore promoting Guangdong and offering new opportunities and challenges.

One of the most significant achievements has been to see labor-intensive industries leave way to new high-tech ones. Guangdong has experienced multiple waves of economic innovation, first selling products to northern China, now exporting commodities throughout the world. Many enterprises have become well know both at home and abroad for the stories of their success and Midea Group is one of them. In thirty years, Midea Group went from being a small plastic company to becoming a sizeable conglomerate that specializes in manufacturing household appliances. Today it's one of the largest white household appliance production and export bases in China. The group has established twenty-one overseas branches in countries such as U.S.A, England, Germany and France. Dong Xiaohua, marketing and sales director describes their success in one word: "Innovation"

(Midea Group; Today it's one of the largest white household appliance production and export bases in China.) 

"Our business started making electronic fans in 1981, and then we expanded our business and began producing air conditioners in the early 1990s. In 1992 our company underwent a share system reform and we listed on the stock market in 1993. We are continuously developing and expanding our market from Guangdong to the whole country and now throughout the world. We have upgraded our products, innovated our management system and today work towards globalization. Our target is to achieve 120 billion RMB in revue by 2010 and to enter into the world's top 500 companies."

Because of geographical advantages and governmental policies, New Guangdong enterprises have considerably expanded, and have entered the new century with the aim to continuously use new ways to develop and enhance their products, to gain more market share. Of course, they have to face fierce competition. The past years have seen the expansion of Huawei, ZTE, TCL, Midea and Halanz. After yeas of expanding, today they start to present themselves to international buyers. Tan Jianguang, Director of Guangdong Business Research Center:

"The first generation of Cantonese entrepreneurs dared to take risks but hadn't received much education. The 2nd generation had better education and market experience. They paid attention to management and technology; however they lacked the capacity to think globally for the international market. The 3rd generation appeared in around 1997, they mastered high technologies but most importantly, they focused on international markets. This generation has been renovating Guangdong's industries and the process is still going on to date."