Northeast China's Zhaunghe champions ecological development

The Belt and Road Initiative is a trade and infrastructure network that connects Asia, Europe and Africa and passes through more than 60 countries and regions with a total population of about 4.4 billion.

In recent years, Zhuanghe has expanded the operation of its port and has worked to build a hub for the export of heavy equipment, furniture and low temperature products as well as imports of wood products, aquatic products and minerals.

Relying on the port, Zhuanghe is building Dalian New Industrial Economic Area, which boasts emerging industries including new energy, environmental protection equipment, ocean engineering and new materials, Sun said.

In June, the National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planner, the Ministry of Foreign Af airs and the Ministry of Finance approved plans to build the China-Japan-South Korea Circular Economy Demonstration Base in the Dalian Recycling Industry Economic Zone in Zhuanghe.

In recent years, Zhuanghe has expanded the operation of its port and strives to build a hub for exports of heavy equipment, furniture and low temperature products as well as imports of wood products, aquatic products and minerals. The port's cargo throughput reached 5.53 million metric tons last year and is expected to reach 15 million tons in fi ve years.

Zhuanghe has held several successful investment introduction activities at home and overseas thanks to the expansion of its port and the construction of the China-Japan-South Korea Circular Economy Demonstration Base, Sun said.

More than 20 investment projects have started in the city and several other projects, including an offshore wind farm, will start construction soon, he said.

Zhuanghe also attaches great importance to improving the livelihood of its people, especially rural residents, by developing modern agriculture. Residents' livelihoods are closely linked to the development of Dalian, Sun said.

The Dandong-Dalian Highspeed Railway, which is expected to start operations at the end of this year, will incorporate Zhuanghe into the one-hour economic circle of Dalian and Dandong, bringing fresh opportunities for development, he said.