With continuing efforts in environmental protection, the local government aims to make the zone an ecological-friendly livable new town.

Local government devoted to bringing benefits to all

The Huayuankou Economic Zone, in the picturesque coastal city of Dalian, was plagued by salt water, when the local government, starting from scratch, had the idea of developing it and bringing benefits to all, according to its Party chief.

And the 268-square-kilometer area is building itself into an ecologically friendly, livable town.

The zone saw its GDP increase 59 percent, year-on-year, in 2010, Dong Chengfa, the Party chief and head of the administrative committee said, while fixed-assets investment jumped 94 percent and utilized foreign capital doubled.

Its main economic indexes have continued to grow in the first half of the year, the administration's statistics show.

Of all the factors contributing to its increased strength, emerging industries have been an important one. It is a national new materials base and has been focusing on new materials.

In the past year, it started more than 100 projects, with a total investment of 30 billion yuan ($4.7 billion). It is home to more than 500 investment projects that cover a wide range of industries - aviation materials, new-energy battery, bio-technology, health-care electronics, energy conservation, and environmental protection.

Some of its enterprises already have an international name, such as Dalian BHN Special Materials Co Ltd, one of the leading astronautic materials developers in the world. Its metal testing method has the support of the Liaoning government, the province where Dalian is located.

According to Dong, the zone's administrators have a goal turning the zone into an ecologically friendly new town on the Yellow Sea coast. It will be improved to the utmost, with land reclamation along the coast. And it has added 3 million square meters of green area in recent years.

Work on infrastructure will be speeded and a new central business district development project has begun.