Landing the big fish

The operators of the Qingdao West Coast New Area have pledged that simplified administrative procedures will facilitate relations between investors, entrepreneurs and government departments.

Liu Jijun, head of the area's general office, said the Huangdao district government, which administers the New Area, has handed over the review procedures for a number of sectors to new area authorities to shorten the approval process.

The authorities have also devised a flexible mechanism to attract the best talent, and civil servants are being encouraged to work for the management committee or local enterprises via a series of benefits previously only available to government employees.