Shanxi merchants, enterprisers and experts were called on to return home by the Shanxi government to boost entrepreneurship and innovation in the province at a conference held in Beijing on March 16.

The conference sought to provide a solution for development problems in Shanxi by giving Shanxi-born merchants, enterprisers and experts working outside the province freedom of action in supporting economic transformation and innovation when they expand business to their hometowns.

Eighteen projects worth 19.97 billion yuan ($2.89 billion) were signed during the conference in areas such as information technology and environmental protection. The Bank of Communications reached an agreement with the Transport Department of Shanxi, setting up a foundation and offering 90 billion yuan in credit .

A series of activities were held after the conference, such as the Shanxi Big Data Industrial Development Forum and a symposium targeting the cooperation between the Shanxi Demonstration Area for Economic Transformation and Reform and Beijing's Zhongguancun Science Park.

A conference calling on Shanxi merchants, enterprisers and experts to return home for entrepreneurship and innovation is held in Beijing on March 16. [Photo/people.com.cn]