A panoramic view of Kaifeng Economic and Technological Development Zone [Photo/cnr.cn]
Established in 1992 under the approval of the Henan provincial government, Kaifeng Economic and Technological Development Zone, under the jurisdiction of Kaifeng New Area, was upgraded into a national one after receiving approval from the State Council in November 2010. Occupying a planning area of 287 square kilometers with a population of 250,000, the zone governs 73 administrative villages and 28 communities.
Regarded as a key part of Zhengzhou-Kaifeng New Area, the zone has been positioned as a center for development and opening-up in inland China, a new growth pole in Henan province, and the most dynamic development area for the Central Plains Economic Zone. Boasting a national characteristic industrial base for air separation plants and a State-level technology business incubator, the zone has been at the forefront of numerous policy measures and advanced technologies in Henan and across the country.
In recent years, the zone has witnessed steady growth in its three pillar industries: advanced equipment manufacturing, deep processing of agricultural and sideline products, and the pharmaceutical and chemical industry. It is home to a host of Fortune Global 500 companies and outstanding domestic enterprises like Wuhan Iron and Steel Group and Henan Coal Chemical Industry Group.
In 2015, the zone achieved 16.24 billion yuan ($2.4 billion) in its regional GDP, up 9.7 percent year-on-year. Its added value of industries above designated scale climbed 9.3 percent year-on-year to 4.85 billion yuan. The fixed-asset investment reached 24.3 billion yuan, a 15 percent increase.