Central business districts usher in international age

Four commercial centers designed to serve as central business districts of Changchun New Area will play an important role in strengthening service capabilities of the new area, said the area's administrative committee.

They are also about to increase the internationalization of the new area and boost its development.

Central business districts, or CBDs, represent cities' most essential landscapes, have been appearing in China's major economic powerhouses.

It is traditionally a concrete jungle of high-rises, such as Manhattan in New York and Central in Hong Kong, and dominated by tertiary industries, not traditional ones. The most advanced and developed sectors in these modern societies include finance, insurance, securities and accountancy.

The CBD is seen to have a function of economic control as it's a district many multinational corporations in the industries of finance, trade and insurance are headquartered. These large companies have the ability to dominate local economic development in a market economy.

Nowadays, corporate headquarters, financial centers and specialized production services are the three major functioning bodies of central business districts.

In Changchun New Area, the four new commercial centers are planned to be the core function zones in terms of gathering international elements, industrial elements and human resources.

The Longxiang International Commercial Center, located at the center of the new area's Beihu Scientific and Technological Development Zone, will focus on developing high-end industrial and living services. The 2-square-kilometer area will integrate conference hotel venues and companies of technological innovation, business finance and tourism.

The Airport International Business Center, located in the Changchun Airport Economic Development Zone and covering an area of about 8 sq km, aims to build itself into an international first-class modern service center to serve Northeast Asia, with multiple services of international conferences, exhibitions, public services, cultural exchanges and consulates.

The International Logistics Service Center, covering an area of more than 5 sq km, will mainly highlight export exhibition and trade, and financial and insurance services. It will be constructed to serve the Northeast Asian Logistics Park and promote the development of the logistics industry in the city.

The Changde Service District, located in the Changde Economic Development Zone, will boost the development of modern agriculture and high-end manufacturing. With the help of the 3-sq-km district, the local government hopes to accelerate the industrial agglomeration of the city's processing and manufacturing.

The Longxiang commercial center is now under construction. Other projects, such as the Changchun Northeast Asia International Conference and Exhibition Center, Northeast Asia Public Service Center, Northeast Asia Planning Exhibition Center and a logistics mansion, will carry out large-scale construction next year.

Contact the writers at renqi@chinadaily.com.cn and haonan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 02/13/2017 page37)