Official pays tribute to Shaanxi spirit

Province's deputy governor lauds its talents and innovative spirit at national competition

Wang Lixia, deputy governor of Shaanxi province, has praised both the province and its capital Xi'an for placing themselves at the forefront of technological innovation, both in China and globally.

In her speech to contestants at the finals of China ARi Augmented Reality Innovation Contest in Xi'an on May 6, Wang paid tribute to Shaanxi's resources, initiative and creativity.

"The province is one of China's hubs for science and education resources with nearly 100 universities and almost 1,000 research institutions. The numbers of college students and technical personnel are both in excess of more than 1 million," she said.

Her speech also marked the official launch of the industrial base for global industry body AugmentedReality.org in the city. The base will feature the world's first AR incubator.

In 2015, Shaanxi was ranked eighth in China for invention patent applications, and first in western China. It was also ranked fourth nationwide for technology trade, with 72.2 billion yuan ($11 billion) worth of deals made, laying a solid foundation for the province's innovation-driven development, according to the deputy governor.

In 2015, AugmentedReality.org and Ginwa Investment Group, as well as related departments and organs in Shaanxi, jointly sponsored Augmented World Expo (Asia) in Xi'an, and established ARA.ORG.CN, an industry alliance aiming to further promote AR industry in China, Wang said.

The deputy governor said that the Shaanxi provincial government would play an active role in promoting the development of the AR industry by providing policy and financial support for personnel training, platform building, business startups, product incubation and investment and financing.

She referred to the construction of the AR industrial base in Xi'an as a concrete example of government support.

The provincial government will also work with ARA.ORG.CN to create a perfect industrial chain for collaborative innovations, Wang said.

She added that the province would continue to hold the Augmented World Expo (Asia) in Xi'an, in order to establish Xi'an as both a Chinese and global industry hub.

"In the context of the Belt and Road Initiative, Shaanxi has broad prospects for development and we look forward to working with more innovative companies to create a better future," the deputy governor said.

Contact the writers through malie@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 06/01/2016 page18)