REGIONAL> Development
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REGIONAL> Development
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New plan to bolster aging NE industries
By Liu Ce (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-29 07:36
The Liaoning provincial government recently released a development plan for a two-city integration strategy, reportedly the first of its kind in the country. The plan involves neighboring cities less than 10 km apart - the provincial capital Shenyang and resource-rich Fushun. Both are known as traditional industrial centers. According to the plan, the two cities will forge closer ties and pool resources in transportation, communication, industrial production, technology, health care, education and financial services in a bid to spur regional development. Shenyang's edge in industry, human resources and technology complement the raw materials and labor force of Fushun. Their integration will help reduce production and distribution costs and widen the development scope of the cities, experts said. "What prompted our decision to launch the Shenyang-Fushun integration strategy is to promote development of the cities and bring benefits to locals," said Li Jia, vice-governor of the province. Development of an adjoining 605-sq-km area between the two cities is key to the scheme, Li noted. Sponsored by the provincial government, worldwide tenders were issued for planning the initial pilot area. More than 20 design and planning institutes submitted bids. Five from China, Australia, Britain, France and the United States were selected. With the Hunhe River running through it, the pilot area is divided into two parts - an ecological zone north of the river and an industrial zone to the south. Part of the concept is to establish an eco-friendly urban Shenyang-Fushun corridor. Regional hub As a hub of the cities in the northeastern province, Shenyang has registered robust growth in recent years. The city's gross domestic product (GDP) reached 307 billion yuan in 2007, an increase of 17.7 percent over the previous year, the highest growth rate in 15 years. Per capita disposable income of urban residents reached 14,600 yuan and 7,080 yuan for rural residents last year, increasing 25.3 and 24 percent year-on-year respectively. |
