Economic, high-tech zones seek to raise capital

Leading global laptop manufacturer Asus is expected to invest a total of $150 million from 2011 to 2015 in an effort to build a laptop production center and a smart device production center in the high-tech zone of Jiulongpo district.

Asus, a leading laptop producer from Taiwan, announced its decision to invest in the high-tech zone in 2011. Asus's decision to build its second-largest production center in the district has to do with the district's intensified effort to develop a high-tech production center.

"As the industrial hub in the western city of Chongqing, the high-tech zone has given priority to the development of the high-end electronics industry and accelerate the upgrading of traditional industries," said Shi Jidong, director general of the administrative committee of the high-tech zone of Jiulongpo district.

In July 2010, the municipal government of Chongqing decided to expand the high-tech zone from 20 square kilometers to 70 sq km.

The high-tech zone is divided into two parts. The western part is devoted to industries such as electronics, pharmaceuticals and production of high-end equipment, while the eastern part is devoted to developing creative industries and attracting major enterprises to locate their bases in the area.

In the past year, the high-tech zone has made remarkable achievements in terms of attracting domestic and foreign enterprises.

Gree Electric Appliances Inc has become the first enterprise in the high-tech zone to achieve a total production value of more than 10 billion yuan when its output hit 14.4 billion yuan in 2011.

In the same year, the total investments that poured into the region reached 11 billion yuan and the total sales value of Shiqiaopu IT business sector reached more than 10 billion yuan.

There are a total of 51 investment programs in the high-tech zone as of 2011, with a combined investment value of 39.41 billion yuan.

The high-tech zone has been authorized to build a national center of biomedical industries, a service center for high-tech industries and a national innovation park for scientific and technological industries.

In 2011, 31 programs from the district were listed by the Ministry of Science and Technology as part of the innovation fund program. Some 20 new high-tech companies in the district were recognized as leading companies at the national level, and its 74 high-tech products were recognized in 2011.

Jinfeng Park

Meanwhile, the Jinfeng Electronic Industrial Park, which is part of the high-tech zone, also tries to attract investments by simplifying setup for computer companies

The park said they want facilities that make laptop accessories to be in place before laptop manufacturers move in.

Since it was launched in February 2010, the park has attracted 55 programs with a total investment of 13 billion yuan. It has become the new motivator of the city's notebook computer industry.

"The park will make continuous efforts to accelerate the development of a more complete chain of electronics industry, which includes manufacturing, distribution, sales and the service industry. It will be a new growth pole of the Jiulongpo district," an official at the Jinfeng industry park said.

xuwei@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 07/20/2012 page7)