Jilin plans for 'new normal' growth

NE China province stresses govt efficiency and innovation

Jilin province has made great strides in rejuvenating its economy since reform and opening-up began in the late 1970s, especially after the central government made the decision in 2003 to revitalize aging industrial bases in Northeast China, said Jilin Party chief Bayinchaolu at a video conference on Feb 25.

Yet the province now faces new challenges as the nation's economy steps into "new normal" growth, he said.

High-tech companies in the Changchun High-Tech Zone are considered a vital force in Jilin's latest move to upgrade its industrial structure. Photos provided to China Daily

Automobile assembly plant in the Changchun Hig-Tech Zone, a leading auto production center in China.

A wetland park in Changchun. Environmental protection is a highlight of local governments amid rapid urbanization in the province.

Bayinchaolu's video conference - held on the first work day after Spring Festival - aimed to motivate officials to contribute to the province's development in the context of new normal growth.

Jilin's gross domestic product increased 6.5 percent last year, the highest of Northeast China provinces, but still lagging behind most other regions in the country.

The province should seize new opportunities for development and push forward a growth driven by reform and innovation, Bayinchaolu said.

"It is unprecedented that the meeting was held on the first day after the Spring Festival holiday. I feel motivated and also pressured," said Wang Mingde, Party chief of Shuangyang district in Changchun, according to a Xinhua News Agency report.

At the conference, Bayinchaolu also told officials they must take the initiative to perform their duties, while public supervision should be strengthened to prevent "non-action" by officials.

The province achieved its goal set at the beginning of last year to reform 81 items on the administrative approval list. The number of administrative approval needed decreased by 60.5 percent to 234. No approvals are now required for non-administrative licensed items, making Jilin the first province that has achieved the goal in the country.

The province's reform of the courts, the legal system and business registration are also pioneering efforts in the country.

The government should focus on key projects that drive quality growth as well as continued innovation, opening-up, environmental protection and efforts to improve people's livelihood to improve the province's economy, Bayinchaolu said.

Priorities this year include revitalizing pillar industries, boosting the development of competitive industries, fostering emerging industries and improving the service sector, said Governor Jiang Chaoliang, who presided over the meeting.

Innovation zone

The governor said one of the key projects driving quality growth is the Changchun-Jilin Industrial Innovation Development Zone.

The zone is an important part of the renowned Changjitu program and will help Jilin integrate into the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiatives that were put forward by President Xi Jinping, Jiang said.

The core region of the Tumen River development area - a UNDP-endorsed transnational program involving China, Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea - is called "Changjitu", a combination of the city names of Changchun and Jilin along with Tumen in the Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture. The State Council, China's cabinet, approved the Changjitu development plan in August 2009.

On Feb 26, the Jilin provincial government launched the Changchun-Jilin Industrial Innovation Development Zone. Agreements for six key projects with combined investment worth 42.5 billion yuan ($6.8 billion) were signed.

The zone is expected to make breakthroughs in developing modern manufacturing, services and agriculture by 2020, according to the provincial government.

Industrial upgrade

To revitalize its old industrial bases, the province has been striving to bring into full play the role of pillar industries, step up growth of competitive industries and pursue innovation-driven development, Bayinchaolu said.

Eight key industries including automobiles, petroleum and agriculture product processing contributed 85.2 percent to the province's industrial growth last year, statistics show.

New major projects include an FAW-Volkswagen factory with the annual capacity to make 300,000 vehicles and the PetroChina Daqing-Jinxi oil pipeline that went into operation in January. The Jilin No 1 Satellite is expected to be launched this year.

Jilin has also made remarkable achievements in technological innovation, and the results must be translated into actual productivity at a faster pace, Bayinchaolu said.

In 2014, 165 enterprises undertook 198 research projects worth 2.43 billion yuan in cooperation with universities and institutes. A total of 41 enterprises set up their own technical centers. Last June, Liaoyuan, Siping and Changchun were named national pilot cities for the application of information technologies

Amid a sluggish economy, the province also made great efforts in cultivating new sources of economic growth and promoting the steady development of key industries.

In transportation, the province invested about 5.9 billion yuan in three key projects including the Jilin-Hunchun High-Speed Railway.

A total of 12.56 billion yuan has been invested in nine highway projects.

The Tonghua airport has been put into operation and the expansion project for Longjia International Airport in Changchun is underway.

E-commerce enterprises in Changchun and Jilin city, including the agricultural e-commerce portal 365good.com.cn, have seen rapid development after the cities were named national e-commerce model cities in 2011.

Urbanization

During the process of urbanization, the province attached great importance to people's livelihood, environmental protection and green development.

In 2014, 518,300 new jobs were created for urban residents at the same time the government helped 3.96 million laborers from rural areas find jobs in cities.

The average medical care subsidy for urban and rural residents was raised from 280 yuan to 320 yuan per person. The provincial government also invested 800 million yuan in lifting 210 villages out of poverty.

The cities such as Changchun, Jilin and Yanji were included on the list of 64 pilot areas nationwide for new urbanization, according to a plan recently issued by the National Development and Reform Commission.

The province paid great attention to environmental protection while developing its economy. Robust development of green agriculture and other green industries will promote sustainable economic development, Bayinchaolu said.

The province has also worked out a host of measures to curb pollution in the air and major rivers. Jilin city was named a low-carbon pilot city, and the Jilin chemical circular economy park was named a national pilot park for low-carbon industries last May.

The province has also sped up construction on the Changjitu economic zone for further opening-up. It has enhanced cooperation with DPRK, Russia and Mongolia in resource development, while introducing industries and advanced technologies from Japan and the Republic of Korea.

The zone has opened 13 overseas marketing centers in countries including the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Russia, and is improving its services and environment to attract more investors.

dongjidong@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 03/12/2015 page6)