Olympic fame propels it to greater glory

The Shunyi district, just 30 kilometers northeast of Beijing's center, calls itself the "grain store of the capital" because of its large amount of farmland and resources.

It covers a 1,021-square-kilometer area and is one of the capital's rising stars, one that has attracted a lot of attention from businesses both inside and outside China.

First of all, it is home to Beijing Capital International Airport and has the nation's first and most advanced airport economic zone. But it is also expected to turn into a modern manufacturing center.

Shunyi made itself better known to the rest of the world after it became the site of the Beijing Olympic Games' water sports events in 2008. It also played host to the seventh China Flower Expo in 2009.

These events contributed not a small amount to its infrastructure and environment.

Meanwhile, local policy makers came up with a development strategy that integrates urban and rural areas and strikes a balance between economic growth and environmental protection.

So, while they were busy developing industry and infrastructure, they also kept an eye on protecting the farmlands, forested areas, and water resources.

The district government says that its forest coverage reached 21 percent by the end of 2010 and that more than 45 percent of the urban area is covered with plants. This earned it a place among China's "model cities in greening".

There are 15 rivers and streams that flow through Shunyi and provide an abundance of water resources.

Still under construction is the Chaobai River Forest Park, which is expected to be Beijing's largest wetlands park.

Work on the 12.8-kilometer-long river bank actually began before the Beijing Olympics.

It will also include a vacation resort and a number of sports facilities.

To improve facilities, the local government has 10 major projects in mind, including a culture center and an educational park.

The district has 1,898 km of roads and more than 800 buses using them. It has 912 stops on 75 bus lines, making getting around fairly easy. In addition, a new subway line is expected to start service this year.

Over the next five years, Shunyi plans to build itself into an international events center and headquarters of global companies.

A number of better-known Chinese companies have already set up their headquarters in the district, such as the China Minsheng Banking Corp and the software and e-business solution provider Kingdee International.

(China Daily 06/01/2011 page5)