Hangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone was approved as state-level deveopment zone in April 1993. The zone now has a developed area of 18 kilometers.

Geographical Location
The Hangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone (the HETDZ) is located in the eastern urban area of Hangzhou City, on the north bank in the lower reaches of the Qiantang River. The zone sits by the Qiantang River on its eastern and southern sides, 19 kilometers from the city center (the West Lake) and with a beach-line of 13.5 kilometers. The HETDZ is on the southern flank of China's Yangtze River Delta and is near Shanghai.

Climate
Hangzhou is in a sub-tropical monsoon climate with marked four seasons, an annual average temperature of 16.1 centigrade, and an annual average rainfall of 1153.7 milimeters.

Communication and Transportation
Inside the zone is built the central axis of Zhejiang Province's expressway, connected in the north to the Hang-Ning and the Hu-Hang Expressways, and in the south to the Hang-Jin-Qu and the Hang-Yong Expressways. Via the axis, one needs a mere 90-minute motor ride from the zone to reach Shanghai, Ningbo and other major ports. The distance to the Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport is 15 kilometers, and within 10 kilometers to either the largest marshalling station in east China or the Hangzhou inner water navigation center.

Human Resources
Hangzhou boasts 33 institutions of higher learning, including the famous Zhejiang University. It has also more than 30 key national laboratories and technological centers. Zhejiang Province has built in the HETDZ a Xiasha Higher Learning Garden, the largest in the province of this kind, which plans to take up an area of 10.91 square kilometers, and accommodate 15 science and engineering as well as comprehensive colleges and universities with 130 thousand students. So far the garden has taken its first 6 institutions of higher learning with 34 thousand in-school students.

Industrial Structure
The zone has 5 pillar industries: machinery and electronics, biology and pharmaceutical, high-tech chemistry, textiles and chemical fiber, and food processing.

Investment Priorities
The Zone is now focusing on building up the specialized parks of "Information Harbor" and "New Medicine Harbor". Its industrial feature is "orientation on hi-tech and multiple parks in one zone".

Infrastructure: communications; energy; water supply;

Key motor-vehicle parts and accessories;

High-Tech: electronic information; integrated optical, mechanical and electronic devices; new medicines; new materials; biological engineering; environmental protection;

Tertiary Industries: hotels; entertainments; modern logistics; hypermarket chains.

Administration Committee
Tel: 86-571-86912057
Fax: 86-571-86911473
Email: invest@hetz.gov.cn
Website: http://www.hetz.gov.cn/English/e_index.asp

(Source: Ministry of Commerce)
 

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