In the past five years, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province has witnessed a fastest development trend since the reform and opening-up, said Yi Junqing, head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of Heilongjiang Province, at an opening ceremony of online media tour of Heilongjiang on June 8.

The opening ceremony of online media tour of Heilongjiang was held in Harbin City, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on June 8.[Chinadaily.com.cn]

Statistics show that in 2006, Heilongjiang's GDP reached 621.8 billion yuan (US$81.38 billion), up 12 percent year on year; the fixed assets in the past five years reached 223.59 billion yuan, with an annual increase of 19.8 percent, and the grain production reached 37.8 billion kilograms.

The high-tech industry value in Heilongjiang increased to 164.07 billion yuan in 2006 from 47.9 billion yuan in 2001. And the industry added value increased to 255.45 billion yuan from 124.6 billion yuan in 2001, with an annual increase of 14.3 percent.

Statistics also show the import and export volume in 2006 increased to US$12.86 billion from US$3.39 billion in 2001, and the foreign direct investment increased to US$1.71 billion from US$860 million in 2001.

Meanwhile, the export volume to Russia increased to US$6.69 billion from US$1.8 billion in 2001, accounting for one fifth of national export volume to Russia.

Heilongjiang is boasted of great development potentials, especially on resources, said Yi, adding Heilongjiang has provided half of the crude oil, one-third of timber, one-tenth of coal, and one seventh of commodity grain to the country since the founding of People's Republic of China in 1949.

Figures show the crude oil reserves in Heilongjiang account for almost half of national reserves, and the explored coal reserves stand at 22.7 billion tons. Besides the electricity generation capacity reached 12 million kilowatts, and to reach 22 million kilowatts by 2010, the coal production capacity is to reach 100 million tons this year, and Heilongjiang has operated 64 domestic and overseas flight routes.

And the government inclines policies to Heilongjiang as well, including launching experimental value added tax transfer, providing as high as four million yuan financial support on resources exploration projects, and canceling agricultural tax.

"Heilongjiang will have a promising future," said Yi, adding Heilongjiang will cherish more development opportunities for a better future.

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