Kunshan honored for its talent and research facilities

City leaders vow to meet future challenges in high-tech sector

Kunshan, a part of Suzhou in eastern Jiangsu province, topped all other county-level cities to win the title of demonstration city for national science and technology as well as for "treasuring talent".

The result of a competition jointly organized by the Science and Technology Ministry and Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the honor acknowledges the city's support in attracting experts and specialists.

Local authorities have given priority to financial support for human resources and research, said Zhang Guohua, Party chief of the Kunshan city committee.

Statistics show the proportion of the city's science and technology expenditures increased to 4.56 percent of GDP while funding for research and development grew to 2.13 percent.

Its first group of 558 high-profile professionals received more than 27 million yuan in government subsidies.

Seven of them now working in Kunshan are considered renowned.

The city has also held a number of domestic and overseas recruitment and matching activities to attract more talented professionals.

More than 3,000 foreign specialists and nearly 1,000 returned overseas scholars work in the city.

The city government has accelerated development of major science and technology efforts, with 94 national and provincial-level projects completed last year.

Kunshan has more 200 hi-tech enterprises, helping the industrial output value of high and new technology reach 36.4 percent of the city's total last year.

Construction boom

The city laid plans for its Kunshan Yangcheng Lake Science and Technology Park last year while the Industrial Technology Institute is almost complete.

Four facilities making flat panel displays are also in full operation.

Zhang said the city's national research centers include Kunshan Sub-Park at the Tsinghua Science and Technology Park, Kunshan Sustainable Development Experimental Zone and the Opto-Electrical Industrial Base.

Renewable energy and financial business process outsourcing industrial parks are also among the new provincial developments.

Last year, Kunshan built 34 key laboratories, R&D centers and engineering technological institutions including those in its Yushan and Zhouzhuang townships.

The city government has also supported enterprises with core technologies and independent intellectual property and helped them expand their research.

Compal Electronics and Giant Bicycles have established headquarters and R&D facilities in Kunshan.

Last year, 72 local high-tech firms in Kunshan contributed 6.2 percent of the province's total patent applications.

Yet there is still a big gap compared with other cities, said Zhang.

More talent and innovation is needed, he said.

"Kunshan urgently needs to accelerate structural transformation and form new advantages in competition. It is a historic mission that must be completed ." Zhang said.

Fierce competition

The global financial crisis has brought key breakthroughs in emerging industries and new technologies worldwide, so competition has become fierce to attract experts and increase innovation.

An outline for modernization of Kunshan calls for the city's development index to reach the level of developed countries and regions by 2020.

In addition to attracting more professionals, the city government should further improve public services, technological industrialization and financing channels, Zhang said.

(China Daily 09/20/2010 page24)