Special Supplement: Software belt spurs city's development

Lushun South Road is today the software belt of Dalian. Established in May 2003, it covers an area of 133 sq km.

The belt is becoming a global software and information services outsourcing hub, taking advantage of Dalian's unique geographical position, preferential policies, and efficient services.

The belt includes the Dalian Software Park, Qiqianling Modern Services Center, Lingshuiwan Integrated Business District, Animation Corridor, Hekou International Software Park, Huangnichuan Software Park and Longtou Technological Park.

Dalian Software Park, costing 5.5 billion yuan ($727 million), was established in 1998 and covers 3 sq km. It contains an industrial development zone, an education and training area and homes for the workers.

The park is a "private company with government aid" a new management concept which has greatly inspired industrial progress and promoted the rapid development of the city's software and information services.

More than 30 of world's top 500 enterprises have established independent software development centers or regional technology centers in the park including GE, IBM, HP, Panasonic, Sony, Hitachi, NTT, NCR and Oracle.

The Neusoft Institute of Information and IBM have so far trained about 5,000 technicians.

Neusoft's software exports to Japan have ranked top in China for three consecutive years. Many domestic companies have become strategic partners with big international companies to gain rapid development.

The park has won wide acclaim and is today one of the main hubs of outsourcing in Northeast Asia.

Qixianling, spread over 5.68 sq km, is the first stage of a hi-tech zone. Currently, more than 200 Chinese and foreign software and information companies have set up shop.

Many institutions have also established training centers in the zone, including Dalian University of Technology, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian Port University and Dalian Xianhe Computer School.

The zone is geared to medium and small companies specializing in computer animation and software security.

It also has 95 national engineering centers, 12 electronics and information technology centers and four public service platforms.

Dalian Hekou International Software Park covers 2 sq km and cost 10 billion yuan. The major companies include Neusoft International Software Park, Singapore Software Park and the Chinese Academy of Sciences Innovation Park. Neusoft covers area of 300,000 sq m and its first phase will come on stream by the end of this year. Singapore Software Park covers area of 610,000 sq m and construction on the second phase will begin later this year. CAS's hi-tech center is nearing completion.

Meanwhile, construction has begun on a 510,000 sq m commercial building and a 1.1 million sq m ancillary building. In five years' time, the park's software employees will number 50,000. It will be the nation's leading software export base.

The 4-km-long Cartoon Corridor starts from Lingshuiwan and ends in the Hekou Bay estuary. It has attracted 56 well-known animation companies. It is not only the State's cyber games production center but also the "national animation industry base."

Huangnichuan Software Park's area will cover more than 4 million sq m and costs 15 billion yuan.

When completed it will be the nation's largest software industry base. It will house 75,000 to 100,000 software professionals.

Longtou Technology Park will cover 20 sq km and will focus on software, information services and integrated circuits. The park's roads, water, electricity, communication and other infrastructure facilities have been completed.

At present, 12 companies have expressed interest in the park.

The planned University City will be on 9 sq km, while the Dalian Medical University and the Dalian Institute of Foreign Languages caters to more than 30,000 students. Ten more universities will be built in the future, churning out 2 million qualified professionals every year.

The planned Lingshuiwan business software zone will be 1.7 sq km. It will mainly focus on software and information services, and contain technology and maritime museums, a multimedia experience center, a digital television center, a concert hall and other cultural and entertainment projects.

Its surrounding ecological restoration has been approved by the State. The project, when completed, will accommodate 60,000 people.

(Shanghai Start 09/07/2007 page7)