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Laoshan district nurtures technology innovation

By Hu Qing ( China Daily )

Updated: 2014-05-18

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Laoshan district nurtures technology innovation

Headquartered in Laoshan district of Qingdao, Haier, the world's largest home appliance maker by sales volume, has built a number of R&D centers and industrial parks across the globe.

Eastern Qingdao's Laoshan district is becoming a fertile ground where technology innovation can thrive, said Qi Jiabin, the district's party chief.

An increasing number of technology institutions and companies are swarming to the district to settle thanks to its pleasant natural environment, comprehensive infrastructure and strong government support.

There are 60 national and provincial scientific institutions in the district. With 45.6 patents granted for every 10,000 people, the rate is the highest in Shandong province.

Those institutions are involved in a wide range of areas including digital and Internet appliances, marine biology and pharmaceuticals, tissue engineered corneas and maritime engineering equipment. The district is also home to 129 certified high-tech enterprises recognized by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Laoshan district nurtures technology innovation

Fortune 500 companies have shown strong confidence in the area's technology research competence by setting up R&D centers in the area, including the world's largest machinery manufacturer Caterpillar, and the telecommunications technology giant Alcatel-Lucent, as well as the world's leading dimensional metrology company Hexagon.

The district's homegrown companies also show remarkable innovation strength.

The head office and global R&D center of home appliance maker Haier are located in Laoshan. Two years ago, the company's Digital Home Appliance Laboratory was approved as a national key laboratory.

Many cables and cords used in venues for the London Olympic Games were manufactured by Hanhe Cable, a local company that makes high-end maritime engineering power-related products.

The district is also building 10 public R&D centers to offer services to local high-tech companies. Six specialized technology parks are under construction and expansion. There are also six business incubators, including a cloud computing center.

Companies operating in those parks and incubators enjoy preferential policies including subsidies and tax advantages based on evaluations of their performance and achievements.

The district government has been facilitating cooperation between universities, enterprises, financial institutions and technology agencies. It has set up the Semi-conductor Illumination Innovation Alliance, which has helped bring 400 projects into commercial use.

huqing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 05/18/2014 page12)