TEDA fulfills Deng's promise

"There are tremendous hopes hiding in development zones" - such was the characterization given by Deng Xiaoping, designer of China's reform and opening-up policy, as he stood on saline land in Tianjin Municipality more than two decades ago.

That was in December 1984. In line with the country's strategy to deepen its economic reform and opening up, Tianjin Economic and Technological Development Area (TEDA) then became one of the first national development zones, though it was not founded on rich or productive land.

"Don't be surprised when you come back to the region. You will find a top-level development zone," said Zhang Jun, vice-chairman of the Administrative Committee of TEDA.

The prosperous northern area of TEDA is now well-known for proven circle of economic growth that contributes to the city's sustainable development.

That was in part why TEDA - a pilot area built on fallow land - was ranked as one of three national-level ecological and industrial areas by the ministries of commerce, science and technology and environmental protection on May 20 this year.

"Compared with other developed areas in China, such as Shenzhen in Guangdong province and Shanghai municipality, TEDA started with a campaign to seek a new type of economic development that stressed recycling from the beginning," said Li Yong, chairman of the Administrative Committee of the TEDA, adding that cleaner production is the core for TEDA's sustainable growth.

Innovation in water use

"Innovation in water use is central to TEDA's sustainable development," said Zhang. "Although we are located in the country's largest northern port city of Tianjin, water shortages and briny water were the main obstacles to TEDA's industrial development."

He said that TEDA's approach to water use helped break the bottleneck in economic growth and established an eco-industrial development pattern.

The park now has three wastewater treatment plants that produce 18.81 million tons of clean water every year.

As part of the system TEDA now has a manmade lake filled entirely with recycled water. Some 5.3 million tons was added last year alone.

With demands for water conservation growing, TEDA is cooperating with the Tianjin Institute of Seawater Desalination and Utilization, under the State Oceanic Administration, to build a seawater desalinating facility.

When completed, it will produce 100,000 tons of desalinated water every day, with more than 80 percent earmarked for residential use in neighboring communities.

Zhang noted that environmental issues are now the focus of public attention. After the central government established the Tianjin Binhai New Area, TEDA - the economic engine of the new area - faced the challenge of implementing a more integrated eco-industry plan for sustainable energy supply.

3R activity

"From raw materials to industrial products, we control the emission and enhance the energy usage at every link of the production chain," said Song Yuyan, an official of the environmental protection bureau of TEDA. "A three-R campaign - to reduce, reuse, recycle - has been promoted in all TEDA companies involved in the eco-industrial park building plan."

She said TEDA has cooperated with Nankai University on a three-R campaign since 2005 to monitor energy saving and emission controls by companies. The program also includes approaches for energy reduction and pollution control, and expanding awareness about environmental protection among residents in TEDA.

"That might explain why TEDA has been named the top investor in environment protection in all China's State-level economic and technological development zones for the past 10 consecutive years," said Zhang.

He also noted that TEDA now faces many new challenges.

(China Daily 05/30/2008 page23)