Foreign capital sought for boost to economy
Heilongjiang is encouraging investors around the world to participate in its economic revitalization in various ways.
State-owned enterprises make up a considerable proportion of Heilongjiang's economy, and foreign investors are being invited to invest in areas such as equipment, medicine, metallurgy, petrochemicals, energy, processing of forest products, construction, communication, post and telecommunications, as well as tourism, finance and trade.
Great care has been taken to provide good cooperative conditions for overseas investors and fully utilize various policies to facilitate inward investment.
The local government will finance reform costs, and resolve carried-over issues by way of self-financing of enterprises, preferential policy support, cashing of assets, deferred payments and shrinking debts, so that investors do not have to bear any extra burdens.
The Heilongjiang Culture Display Area at the Harbin fair |
As the nation's main grain producing area and commodity grain base, Heilongjiang has the nation's largest cultivated land and land reserves on per-capita basis. The province now looks to improve comprehensive productivity and develop modern agricultural methods.
Overseas investors in Heilongjiang may build modern and family farms to produce grains and other agricultural sideline products and establish food industry enterprises, as well as chemical and pharmaceutical industries based on grain deep processing.
They are also encouraged to deal in agricultural sideline products and operate the agricultural means of production, engage in fine breeding and the commercialization of agricultural production techniques.
Eye on tourism
Tourism is also high on the provincial government agenda. Heilongjiang boasts beautiful scenery and a vast territory, with huge areas covered by forests, grasslands and wetlands, great lakes, spectacular ice and snow, long border rivers, and clearly defined seasons.
In winter, Heilongjiang is dressed in snow, with the world-renowned Harbin Ice and Snow Festival integrating with the marvels of art and the joys of winter sports.
The province enjoys four months of snow each year, leading to the setting up of 75 elementary, medium and senior level ski resorts, including Yabuli Ski Resorts, the largest international ski center in Asia.
The 2009 Universiade, a major international sports event after the Third Asian Winter Olympic Games in 1996, will be held in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province.
The number of tourists visiting Heilongjiang is increasing by 10 percent annually, and it reached 400 million person-times in 2004.
The influx of visitors has created a lot of pressure on the tourist spots, tour agencies and hotels, which are struggling to meet the demand of rapid development in tourism, due to a low level of market development and promotion.
Apart from being China's major commodity grain base, Heilongjiang also excels in the energy resources, raw material, heavy equipment manufacturing and heavy chemical industries.
Thanks to its central position in Northeast Asia, Heilongjiang handles quite a large volume of freightage.
Foreign logistics companies, those from the United States in particular, are encouraged to establish sub-branches of logistics enterprises in the province, build platforms for logistic transportation, and information and warehouse delivery, as well as set up modern logistic centers or parks.
(China Daily 06/19/2007 page20)
