2008年底，《珠江三角洲地区改革发展规划纲要》明确将珠海定位为珠江口西岸核心城市，要求珠海加快建设“三区一基地”（即高栏港工业区、航空产业园区、国际商务休闲旅游度假区、海洋工程装备制造基地）、完善珠海港现代化功能，其中高栏港工业区、海洋工程装备制造基地均落户在高栏港经济区，从国家战略的层面明确了高栏港经济区的发展战略定位和产业定位。
 

By the end of 2008, the "Pearl River Delta Reform and Development Plan" explicitly identified Zhuhai as the core city in the west coast of the Pearl River Delta and urged Zhuhai to speed up the construction of "three areas and one base" (ie, Gaolan Port Industrial Park, Aviation Industrial Park, International Business Leisure Holiday And marine engineering equipment manufacturing base) to improve the modern functions of Zhuhai Port, in which Gaolan Port Industrial Zone, marine engineering equipment manufacturing base are located in Gaolan Port Economic Zone, from the national strategic level clear the development of Gaolan Port Economic Zone Strategic positioning and industrial positioning.