Innovative programs are underway

Several innovative programs are in progress in Changchun, Jilin province, as the revitalization of the old industrial base of Northeast China focuses on this region.

The new JILIN-1 satellites are a standout among all the high-tech products. The new ones have higher resolution and can cover larger areas.

To date, the satellites have conducted nearly 8,000 scanning missions.

Jia Hongguang of Chang Guang Satellite Technology, manufacturer of JILIN-1, said "The number of JILIN-1 satellites will increase to 60 by the end of 2020, at which time JILIN-1 will be able to scan the earth within 30 minutes."

Besides the aerial industry, other innovative industries including intelligent manufacturing are sprouting up in Changchun, making up for the decrease of traditional industries.

To support enterprise digitalization, the Changchun government recently joined hands with Inspur -- one of the most powerful IT enterprises in China -- to operate a cloud calculating big data center in the city.

The center will help companies improve their working efficiency through intelligent management.

Li Weibin, head of the Changchun Industrial and Information Bureau, said he hopes the cooperation will bring about a big data industrial cluster in Changchun and promote its economy.

The output of strategic emerging industry in Changchun reached 136.75 billion yuan ($20.73 billion) in the first three quarters of 2017, a year-on-year growth of 12.1 percent.