City shifting from heavy industry to modernization

Jilin provincial government held a news conference on Oct 19 to unveil its development plan for Changchun New Area. The State Council formally approved construction of the area on Feb 3, attracting broad attention from the public.

According to Sun Yaming, Changchun's deputy mayor and Party chief of the Changchun New Area's working committee, the success of the new zone will be measured with four major measuring criteria: innovation and prosperity, openness, equality and happiness, and ecological wisdom.

"By 2030, the new area is expected to have made great achievements in comprehensive strength, reform, innovation, opening-up and international cooperation," said Sun."Hopefully, a modern industry system based on technology and innovation will be accomplished. We are expecting a new zone that is international, green and smart."

In order to make the new area an open platform for international cooperation, the plans emphasize the construction of infrastructure for international trade and transportation. This includes four business centers for trade, Longjia International Airport and comprehensive railway freight yards. It is believed these core functional areas and platforms for opening up will accelerate progress in the city's modernization and internationalization.

Changchun's new area also aims to transfer its once heavy industry into more innovation-driven industry. To this end, Changchun will focus on cooperating with neighboring cities such as Harbin and Jilin. It will also build a technology innovation center, an international logistics center and an international communication and cooperation center. Moreover, the emphasis of development will switch to high-tech industry, advanced manufacturing industry, aerospace production and the healthcare industry.

Placing an emphasis on high-tech industry, Changchun is planning to set up 10 industrial parks covering different fields, including advance equipment manufacturing, aerospace information and big data.

The city will divide the new area's different development goals into four major zones, namely Changchun Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, Beihu Scientific and Technological Development Zone, Changde Economic Development Zone and Konggang Economic Development Zone.

The plan has involved experts and think tanks from several State-level research institutions and foreign companies in urban planning, such as the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation of China's Ministry of Commerce, the UK's Space Syntax Ltd and Finland's Sweco AB. The State Council gave its final approval for the project on Oct 8.

(China Daily 11/18/2016 page6)