Area growth inspired by the Silk Road spirit

Shaanxi capital and Changchun to cooperate over equipment manufacturing, medicine and communications

The Xi'an Hi-Tech Industries Development Zone attracted national attention recently, signing more than 50 projects at the fourth Silk Road International Exposition. The event, which ran from May 11 to 15, was held in the capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province.

The Investment and Trade Forum for Cooperation between East and West China was also hosted.

The conference on Jilin and Shaanxi provinces' collaborative innovation and trade was the main activity of the expo and forum, during which the Xi'an high-tech zone signed cooperation agreements with two zones from Jilin.

The Xi'an Hi-Tech Industries Development Zone is the most powerful economic engine of the city of Xi'an and Shaanxi province. Photos Provided to China Daily

From left: People visit the exhibition area of the Xi'an Hi-Tech Industries Development Zone at the fourth Silk Road International Exposition. Zhong Hongjiang, secretary of the high-tech zone's Party committee, learns about an exhibit of the zone at the expo.

According to the agreements, the Xi'an high-tech zone will cooperate with the Changchun High-Tech Industrial Development Zone on advanced equipment manufacturing. This is led by new energy automobiles, smart manufacturing, unmanned aerial vehicles and new materials. Also the biomedical health industry comprises biological vaccine and gene engineering, medical apparatus, and modern Chinese medicine. Lastly, it includes the electronic information sector led by cloud computing, big data and artificial intelligence.

The zones will also work together on cultural tourism and headquarters economy.

The Xi'an high-tech zone will promote bilateral communication and inspection with the Siping Hongzui Economic and Technological Development Zone. They will also design training for professionals based on the two zones' resource advantages. Industrial transfer and project cooperation are included in their agreement.

Nine projects of the Xi'an high-tech zone were signed at an investment promotion and project signing ceremony for Xi'an. The total investment is worth 93.5 billion yuan ($13.6 billion). The projects involve 5G-related emerging industries, cloud computing, big data, new materials, biopharmaceuticals, modern service and global commodity trade service platforms.

The fields signified the Xi'an high-tech zone wants to attract big projects related to the Belt and Road Initiative, local media reported.

The zone signed an agreement with the Xi'an branch of China Mobile and ZTE Corp. It says they will build 30,000 5G base stations by the end of 2022. The investment is worth 4 billion yuan. The project will encourage manufacturers in the zone to use 5G technology to increase production efficiency and competition in fields such as high-frequency and high-speed data collection and mobile robot navigation.

Software company DHC plans to invest about 3 billion yuan in building the DHC Silk Road Headquarters in the Xi'an high-tech zone. It will include a cloud center and an industrial internet institute.

The zone signed 41 projects, worth 140.9 billion yuan, at a promotional and signing event. The projects cover electronic information, advanced manufacturing, biological medicine, headquarters economy, urban supporting facilities and financial services.

The zone will work with Huawei on 5G industry development, smart city, smart campus and smart healthcare to build itself into a model for national intelligent science and technology and also smart applications and innovation.

China Telecom plans to invest 3 billion yuan in the zone for 5G base stations and 5G network infrastructure, building a demonstration network mainly on autonomous driving, telemedicine, distance education, industrial internet and intelligent transportation.

The international medicine preparations center project, with an investment worth 1.4 billion yuan, mainly involves research, development and production of traditional Chinese medicine preparations. The internationalized healthcare center invested in by Xi'an International Medical Investment will specialize in prevention, treatment, research and education of diseases related to senility.

Two financial holding platforms set up a fund investing in cultural enterprises in the Xi'an high-tech zone to help them expand overseas.

Companies that operate in the zone praised its business environment. He Jinbi, board chairman of Maike Group, said at the expo that the zone has always made the business environment key to promoting regional high-quality development.

Authorities in the zone often visit companies to learn about their needs. The companies there appreciate the services provided by the zone, He said.

Xue Lei, general manager of Xi'an Bright Laser Technologies complimented the zone's business environment. He said the zone only took one week to finish delivery of land to be used for his company's project.

There was garbage building up on surrounding roads so the zone spent three days helping to clear them, Xue said. "When we encountered problems, authorities in the zone worked from 7 pm to 11:30 pm to help us solve problems."

He added every month he discovers changes on his way to office as infrastructure is constantly improving, allowing for projects to start on time and remain on track.

Deals to bring more convenience

At the third signing ceremony of the fourth Silk Road International Exposition on May 13, Xi'an Hi-Tech Industries Development Zone showcased its progress in providing convenient services to the public as well as its achievements in urban and rural integration.

The ceremony witnessed the signing of a project between the zone and convenience store chain Tangjiu Bianli to build its northwestern region headquarters.

Tangjiu Bianli plans to set up its northwestern region headquarters in the zone, and said it will also help build the zone into an "area of convenience" with the opening of more than 200 24-hour convenience stores in the zone in the next three to five years.

Fifty to 60 such stores will be launched this year, the company said.

Tianyu Tianyuan (Xi'an) Park Construction and Development is also planning to launch a project in the zone, with a core area of about 66.67 hectares. The project will center on organic agriculture and combine ecological restoration and the upgrading of the cultural tourism industry.

It will provide organic agriculture-related services, build communities and advocate healthy lifestyle, according to the company.