Development

High-tech zone wins award for post-quake reconstruction

By Huang Zhiling (China Daily Sichuan Bureau)
Updated: 2011-06-30 17:16

The Chengdu High-tech Zone in the capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province has been granted the Panda Award from the Sichuan provincial government for its efforts to cope with the aftermath of the Wenchuan earthquake on May 12, 2008.

After the magnitude-8.0 earthquake took place, the zone was quick in relief and reconstruction, becoming a new engine in the provincial post-quake development, according to officials from the provincial government information office.

The Panda Award was awarded on Monday to recognize the zone's achievements in post-quake reconstruction, the office said.

In the past three years since the quake, Chengdu has overcome the negative factors of the earthquake and the international financial crisis to to achieve sound and fast economic and social development.

Last year, its local general budget revenue was 52.69 billion yuan, an increase of 36% over the previous years. Its actual utilization of foreign investment and its total amount of import and export both ranked first in the central and wetern parts of the country.

Volkswagen, Texas Instruments, Dell, Lenovo, Foxconn, Compal, Wistron and a number of world famous enterprises invested or set up branches in Chengdu last year, bringing the total number of Fortune 500 companies in the city to189.

Most of the Fortune 500 companies are in the Chengdu High-tech Zone.